Elysion
by SoA
Summary: Awakened just before the Dead Moon Circus invades Japan, two groups of American senshi fight to stop their own branch of the Circus and keep it from the secrets they hide...
1. Chapter 1 Trio

Enter Pegasus

"Hurry up Charisse! We're going to be late!" Malia called up the stairs to her oldest sister. Her other older sister finished helping her tie up her red hair into a high ponytail. Malia turned to her and signed, '_Thanks. We better get going. We might be late for school. Charisse is coming.'_

Tacita, the middle sister, had wavy, indigo colored hair that reached down to her ankles. It was for Tacita's benefit that everyone in the family knew how to sign. She had been deaf since birth. Smiling, she signed back, '_You're welcome. Charisse really takes forever to get ready in the morning, and, honestly, I don't see much difference from when she goes into the bathroom to when she comes out.'_

Malia laughed merrily.

"You don't have to wait any more," Charisse announced playfully from the top of the stairs. She dramatically flipped her blond hair back over her shoulders and strutted down towards them.

"What? Thinking of picking up a part time job in modeling?" Malia teased as she descended.

Charisse grinned and answered coyly, "Maybe. I hear it pays well." She signed along with her speaking, bringing Tacita back into the conversation again. Although Tacita could read lips well, that did little good when people spoke facing away from her.

The three sisters collected their backpacks and hurried out the door, Charisse locking it behind them.

Their father's job had taken the family all over the country, never letting them settle in one place for more than two or three years. At first, this was hard on the three girls, but through it, they grew inseparably close and took each new move with a smile. Only just two months before they had moved from Seattle to their new home in Anchorage. Now that September rolled around again, it was time for their first day at their new school, Elk Valley School.

Thankfully, Elk Valley was within walking distance of their new home and housed grades six through twelve. This meant that, for the first time, all three sisters could attend the same school; Malia in seventh grade, Tacita in ninth, and Charisse in eleventh.

It was a beautiful autumn morning. A chill hung in the air but the sun shone distantly above. When they reached the school, the halls were packed with other students that they didn't recognize. Armed with their class schedules, the three sisters waved and went their separate ways, in search of their classrooms.

Tacita paused for a moment and watched her sisters disappear into the crowds. She glanced down at her schedule to see the information about her first class again for reassurance, even though she had already memorized it. _First period_, she recalled, _English, room 112, Mrs. Lindell... _Elk Valley was a huge school, but Tacita found her first class without any problems.

Tacita took a seat in the front right corner so she could read both the teacher's and the other student's lips more easily. This was always her strategy: to find a front corner to sit in. As she waited for class to begin, Tacita pulled out a folder and a notebook. Flipping open the new notebook, she picked up a pencil and began to doodle on the first page as she watched the other students file into the classroom and take their seats.

Soon, the bell rang. Of course, Tacita couldn't hear it, but she sensed the sudden vibration that rose above everything else in her chest. The sudden stiffness in all the other students supported her conclusion.

Mrs. Lindell, a petite blue-haired woman, rose from her desk, placed her reading glasses on the end of her nose, and picked up a clipboard. She glanced down at it. "Welcome back to Elk Valley for another year, everyone. I hope you all had great summers. My name is Mrs. Lindell and I will be your English teacher for the year," she declared quieting the class down further than the bell had, "Now, I'm going to take attendance and record where you are sitting, so that I can get to know your names better. So say 'here' and raise your hand so I can find you." She began reading names off her list starting at the top alphabetically.

Eventually, she got to the T's. "Tacita Trey," She called, but no answer came. Tacita raised her hand obediently, but Mrs. Lindell didn't look up when she didn't hear an answer. "Absent, on the first day?" she murmured. Seeing those words on Mrs. Lindell's lips, Tacita stretched her hand higher into the air, almost rising out of her seat. A few people around her giggled. Just as her teacher started back to the list, a girl sitting two seats down from Tacita, who had already been identified as Ashley Higgens, spoke up, "Excuse me, Mrs. Lindell, but Tacita Trey is here, she just isn't saying anything."

The petite woman looked up over her reading glasses and stared at Tacita. "Please say 'here' next time. It makes things a lot easier for me."

Tacita put her hand down slowly and bit her lip nervously.

"Is something wrong?" Mrs. Lindell asked, tilting her head to the side.

Tacita picked up her pencil again and scrawled across the top of the page in her notebook: 'I am deaf. I cannot speak.' Then she rotated the pad around to face Mrs. Lindell.

"That wasn't in any files I received..." She sighed, now understanding, "Then I suppose you can sign?"

Tacita nodded.

Smiling, Mrs. Lindell began to sign: '_Then you are lucky to be in my class. I know sign language. I am an ASL interpreter at my church. In this class, I will do my best to sign along as I speak for you.'_

_'Thank you so much! I would really appreciate it_,' Tacita replied.

Mrs. Lindell glared at the class to quiet them down again. "Now we have that straitened out." She began signing along as she spoke. "Tacita Trey here is deaf, so I will be signing along as I talk, so that she can understand better. So, moving on…" She began reading names off the list once again. Once she finished, she called for attention and began to explain their first assignment. "To start the school year off, I would like to see what each of you can do in your writing. I am sure many of you know that there is a total solar eclipse today. That eclipse will happen during this period. And, although this isn't a science class of any sort, I have brought pinhole sheets so it is safe for all of you to watch it. After we watch it, you will each write about it. You may write anything from a poem to a horror novel, all based on the eclipse, but you only have this class period to work on it. The eclipse will start in about…" She looked at her watch. "Six minutes. So you can all socialize until then."

As everyone else chattered, Tacita turned her attention back to her notebook and resumed doodling. She was so absorbed in her work that she did not notice when her teacher approached. Mrs. Lindell gingerly tapped Tacita on the shoulder, who looked up expectantly.

_'What are you drawing?'_ She signed, trying to start up a conversation.

_'Hopip, a pokemon_,' she answered, then seeing her teacher's perplexed expression she added, '_It is from a Japanese TV show.'_

_'I see.'_

_'Thank you so much for signing along with your talking, I'm sure it well help me get a better grade in this class,' _Tacita signed after she closed her notebook.

_'You say that like you have never had an aide to help you understand in classes before,' _Mrs. Lindell observed.

_'I had one when we lived in Huston for third and fourth grade and then for seventh grade in Portland, but we move around so often, so it's hard for some schools to find an aide for me,' _ Tacita explained.

_'Have any arrangements been made to help you here?'_

_'Not yet, I don't think,'_ Tacita replied. '_My sisters said that they will help me, but they aren't in the same grade, so they can't help at school.'_

_'I see,'_ Mrs. Lindell replied nodding, '_I will see what I can do to get that process moving.'_

_'Thank you so much.'_

_'Well, the eclipse is about to start, you might want to take down a few notes.'_ Her teacher passed her a small rectangle of black paper with a tiny hole punched in it. '_Look through the hole_,' she told Tacita, then she moved on to pass out the papers to the rest of the class.

As Tacita walked to the window on the opposite side of the classroom, Ashley Higgens strode up to her. "Hi Tacita. My name's Ashley. You're new to this school right?"

Tacita nodded. Ashley didn't move her lips very much when she spoke, so it was difficult to decipher what she said. She opened her notebook and wrote the words: 'Could you move your mouth more when you talk? It's hard to understand you.' Then she passed the notebook to Ashley.

"Okay," She answered, making an effort to help Tacita understand her, "Have you ever seen an eclipse before? I have. They're really cool." Tacita shook her head and took her notebook back just as the eclipse began. The class fell silent. They watched as the shadow of the moon swallowed the sun and plunged the world into darkness. Although no one noticed it, a single, hideous looking circus tent drifted down from, seemingly from the moon itself. The students watched the shadow move over the sun and daylight return. As promised, they spent the remainder of the class period writing about what they had just seen.

The rest of the day went mostly the same, though none of her other teachers knew sign language. She made a point of telling each of them before class started from second period on. For most of the day, Tacita was reduced to her notebook and lip reading, but that was nothing Tacita wasn't used to.

At lunch Tacita sat with Ashley and her friends. Tacita was both surprised and thankful for Ashley's friendliness. Almost never did anyone feel comfortable approaching her, figuring that they wouldn't be able to converse anyway. Although Ashley and her friends only made a few efforts to include her in their lunch time chatter, Tacita was perfectly happy just to have friends to sit with already on the first day of school.

At the end of the day she met with her sisters among the mass of students rushing for their buses outside the school, and they walked home together. Malia found her first, and then they spotted Charisse's curly blond hair bobbing through the crowd not far off.

"Hey gals!" she said brightly when she saw them, "How was your first day?"

"Not bad, I guess," Malia answered with a shrug, but she was smiling even still.

_'I saw the eclipse,' _Tacita offered.

"Me too!" Mahalia exclaimed, suddenly excited.

"Yeah, I did too," Charisse added.

Both Charisse and Malia instinctively signed while they talked. It was a long-practiced habit for them. The three chattered as they walked the few blocks back to their home, exchanging stories from the day.

"…It doesn't help that I'm short to begin with. I'm younger by almost everyone in my classes by at least a year," Malia complained lightly. She had a summer birthday and was, after all, only four feet and eleven inches  
tall. On top of that, she had been pushed ahead a year.

"That's never held you back before," Charisse chided.

"I guess you're right," Malia admitted, "But I'd like to look like I belong here, at least."

_'Appearances shouldn't mean everything,'_ Tacita put in. _'Show them how smart and nice you are.'_

"Although how you look does help," Charisse said as she twisted a lock of hair around her finger, "you know."

"What?" Malia shot her a suspicious look, "Are you trying to get someone to ask you out already?"

"I never said that," she retorted, flashing a smile, "but there's nothing wrong with that either." She paused, then added, "You know, Tacita, it's about time for you to find a boyfriend." Glancing beside her to see her sister's response, she discovered that Tacita was no longer with them. "Where's Tacita?" she murmured absently and pivoted around.

Tacita stood pensively on the covered bridge over a small brook that they had just crossed, gazing down into the little gorge. Her two sisters hurried back to join her at the railing. Not asking Tacita why she lingered, they watched the water flow peacefully by with her. Suddenly, Charisse and Malia heard something moving through the brush on the slope near the brook.

"What's that?" Charisse asked urgently, pointing towards the noise.

"A bear?" Malia asked nervously.

Tacita squinted at the bushes as well. _'No, too small,'_ she disagreed.

Just then, a figure stumbled weakly out into the open, tripped, and fell face first into the mud on the river bank. His hair and his clothes were pure white, styled in a way that looked absolutely foreign. The air around him seemed to glow.

"Is he okay?" Charisse asked, hushed.

"Come on! Let's go help him!" Malia shouted as she ran to the end of the bridge and scampered down the slope. Tacita and Charisse hurried after her.

With a yelp, Malia lost her footing and tumbled down the bank, skidding to a stop not far from the man. Getting a better look at him, she jumped up in surprise.

_'Are you okay, Malia?'_ Tacita asked when she reached her.

"He has a golden horn attached to his head!" She gasped quietly.

Both of her sisters were equally stunned, but it was finally Tacita that approached the stranger. She knelt and rolled him over on his back. Despite his white hair, he looked fairly young, and he had a red tear-shaped jewel on his forehead. His eyes flickered open. Tacita, not thinking that he might not understand, signed to him: '_Are you all right? Who are you? Why do you have that gold horn on your head?'_

His eyes flickered frantically around him and then he relaxed. "That aura!," smiling weakly, he exclaimed, "It's the first three of you! I knew I'd find you before it was too late."

"But who are you? What do you know about us?" Malia demanded.

He gazed long in silence at the three of them. "The three of you are sisters? This makes things a lot less complicated…" He heaved a difficult breath and sat up at last, Tacita supporting him. "My name is Helios. I don't have much time to explain, but I will try to tell you all you need to know before they come for me… Here…" He held out his hand and three small simmering spheres  
appeared floating in the air above his palm. "These are your transformation spheres. Take them."

Without any protest, each girl reached out and took one; Tacita took the teal one, Malia took the red one, and Charisse took the pink sphere. "They will give you the powers you need to fight off the evil that is coming. You are Sailor Solders sworn to protect Earth, and your enemies are from the Dead Moon. They chased me here and they can't be far behind now. There are four more Sailor Soldiers that might be able to help you as well."

Helios glanced frantically around them, and continued, "They want the power of the Golden Crystal and of dreams so that they can take over this world. And also, they must never find the Secret Keeper. Your silence may make them think that you are the Keeper, so please learn to speak if you can't already. It will keep you safer." There were more footsteps in the brush behind them. Helios added hurriedly, "With your transformation spheres, only you three can stop them. Now you must run! They are coming! Get out of here while you can!" He shooed them off with his hands but was too weak to get up and run any farther on his own.

Charisse grabbed both of her sister's hands and tugged them back up the bank onto the slope. "Shouldn't we help him too?" Malia hissed. Charisse shook her head and put a finger to her lips. Silently, the three girls peered through the cracks between the boards on the decorative railing.

Not a moment later, three women dressed in skimpy outfits pushed their way out of the brush, completely unscathed. "There he is!" one of them exclaimed as they surrounded Helios. He stood up shakily, but his amber colored eyes were hard and defiant.

"This is the end of the road for you," another sneered, "You thought you could run forever?"

A sly smile crossed Helios' lips and he closed his eyes. Suddenly, a ghostly white pegasus materialized out of him and soared up into the air. In the blink of an eye, it was gone. The moment the pegasus appeared, Helios collapsed limply back to the ground.

"Damn!" one of the strange looking women cursed. "We lost his soul. But at least we have his body." She kicked his body in frustration.

Back up on the bridge, Malia whispered, "We have to stop them. How do we use these transformation sphere things? He said that they would give us the power to stop them."

Tacita signed silently in response,_ 'He called us Sailor Soldiers. I saw that before when I was reading a comic called "Sailor Moon." In that comic, they hold up their transformation pens and yell something like "Sailor something Power, Makeup!" and then they transform and get super powers. If these are magic like that, I'm sure we'll know what to say.'_

"So this is right out of one of your animes?" Charisse asked skeptically.

_'Manga,'_ Tacita corrected.

"Well, it's worth a shot," Malia shrugged.

Tacita held her own sphere out in front of her and it started to float off her hands. Smiling excitedly, she signed, '_Cocytus Terran Power, Makeup!' _Gaining confidence in the idea, her two sisters chorused in.

"Phlegethon Terran Power, Makeup!"

"Hemera Terran Power, Makeup!"

A flash of colors enveloped the sisters. In a matter of seconds the girls had transformed into the Sailor Soldiers Helios had spoken of. The girl that had been Malia was now Sailor Phlegethon. She now wore something that did look like it fell right out of a comic book. Her pleated miniskirt, sailor collar, and bands that topped off her long while gloves were all teal in color. Large light yellow bows were placed over her chest and at the back of her skirt. Adding a little flare to the outfit was a fiery red crystal brooch pinned to the front bow and golden tiara with a similar red jewel gracing her forehead. In her hand, she bore a square-shafted, red iron staff that looped around at the top at the tie of a teal ribbon. It was taller than she was and a formidable weapon. With it in her hand, Malia—no, Sailor Phlegethon felt strong.

Charisse became Sailor Hemera. Her outfit was much like her younger sisters, only the skirt, glove bands, and collar were a sunny yellow color. Her bows were fuchsia while her jewelry was salmon pink.

In Tacita's place stood Sailor Cocytus. Her skirt, collar, and glove bands were misty blue. Her bows were a pale violet, and her jewelry was all teal. She had two shoulder rings and one white stripe on her collar. Looking down at her new outfit, she couldn't help by smile. _I look just like Sailor Moon, only different colors! _Suddenly, it hit her and she cringed. _What is all this?_ She couldn't describe the sensations that ran through her ears. '_It's filling my head!' _she complained.

Sailor Hemera replied quietly and signed along, "What? What is filling your head?"

Slowly, it dawned on her. '_I must be hearing,'_ she signed, '_I like these new powers. I hear and understand, even though I have never heard before.'_

Both of her sisters' eyes grew wide. "You can?!" Sailor Hemera stammered.

Cocytus nodded.

"Then that means you can speak, right?" Phlegethon guessed.

The thought struck the middle sister hard. She could, and she would. "I think so… I really can!" Her words were clumsy, yet her voice was sweet.

"This is great! Well, let's go show those three a thing or two!" Phlegethon said excitedly and headed towards the railing.

"Wait!" Hemera called to her red-haired sister, "We don't know what we're doing. Our sister here knows more about this than we do. What do we need to do to fight?"

"You just need to say the name of your attack and it will happen. I bet we'll know how to do it just like we knew how to transform," Sailor Cocytus speculated.

With that, they strode to the rail. "Stop right there and leave Helios alone!" Sailor Cocytus shouted, pointing down at the three women.

The three women were stunned by the sudden appearance.

"Who are you?" the woman with long silvery hair demanded. She wore a navy tube top and matching long navy slit skirt. Like her companions, she seemed totally unashamed to expose so much skin even at that time in the autumn.

"Um," Sailor Phlegethon stammered. Suddenly, a though struck her and she answered defiantly, "We're the Sailor Soldiers of this Earth: Sailor Phlegethon!" Her sisters followed her lead.

"Sailor Cocytus!"

"And Sailor Hemera!"

"Zirconia didn't say anything about Sailors getting in our way," the tallest of the three women scoffed. She had long golden blond hair tied up in a high ponytail. She wore a short tight-fitting orange dress with a deep v-ed neck and sheer pants and sleeves underneath it.

"No matter," the last woman shrugged, "We'll just destroy them anyway and bring him back to Zirconia, just as ordered." Her boyishly short hair was pale pink. In contrast to her two companions, she wore only a violet tank top and dark magenta leggings.

"Oh no you won't," Sailor Hemera retorted, "And who do you think you are, attacking this helpless man?"

The blond woman laughed heartily. "We're the Amazoness Trio of the Dead Moon Circus," she said proudly, "And I'm LionEye."

"OrcaEye," the woman in blue added, "It's a pleasure."

"I'm OspreyEye," the last woman introduced herself. "But what do you three twerps want anyway?"

"We should be the ones asking that question!" Phlegethon yelled back at the Amazoness, "What do _you_ want with Helios?"

"Ha! That's not for us to know," LionEye laughed, "We're just following orders. And even if we did know, we wouldn't tell the likes of you." As she spoke, OspreyEye seized Helios' body and snapped her fingers. A round portal appeared behind her framed by swirling white feathers.

"Not so fast!" Hemera yelled and leaped from the bridge down into the gorge. "Hemera Beautiful Love Conviction!" Salmon pink ribbons of energy soared from her open hands and struck Osprey Eye in the back.

The pink-haired woman whirled around angrily. "Brat! That hurt!"

Phlegethon landed next to her older sister. "So you'd like another one would you?" She raised her staff to attack: "Phlegethon Volcanic Ground Split!" She struck the ground and a glowing red crack shot through the ground, heading right for Osprey Eye's feet.

An instant before the red-hot lava spurted from the ground, OspreyEye sprung up with Helios in her arms, flipping backwards into her portal and disappearing.

"Helios! No!" Cocytus shouted after him. She leaped into action, "Cocytus Sky Shower Shatter!"

Sky blue shards of energy rained down on the two remaining women. They shrieked, shielding their faces. "Cut it out, will you?" LionEye yelled. She snapped her fingers and another round portal appeared behind her, this one framed in fire. With one last glare she flipped back into it and disappeared.

OrcaEye cringed, finding herself alone before the three Sailors. "Before I leave," she said as she snapped her fingers, summoning a portal of her own, surrounded in tendrils of water, "I'll give you gift." She snickered. "Water!" she yelled, torrents of it spouting out of her hands. It swept the three Sailors off their feet and away downstream. With one last laugh, she disappeared into her portal.

The three girls struggled to stand up, dripping with mud and water.

"I kinda wish that this was a dream. Those people are tough. But on the other hand I don't. I could grow to like this excitement," Phlegethon said, wringing out a handful of her skirt.

"You're right," Cocytus agreed, "It feels natural. I like it. Especially the hearing part." She grinned.

"I just love hearing your voice," Hemera hugged her sister. "You've got to learn to speak when you can't hear also. Remember what Helios said?"

"Yes," Sailor Cocytus nodded.

"Let's get home," Sailor Hemera suggested. She closed her eyes, willing her transformation to fade away, and it did. A moment later, she wore only the clothes that she had put on that morning, still soaking wet.

Her two sisters followed suit and the three scrambled up the bank together, walking the last half of a block to their home.


	2. Chapter 2 Quartet

Pegasus's Choice

It was a short eclipse; only a matter of minutes long. The eclipse wasn't a particularly spectacular one either. Though it could be seen throughout most of the United States, few people aside from school children enthusiastic to learn a bit of applicable science paid it any attention. The residents of Asatara, a small suburb of Chicago, had no idea that life in their community was about to get more exciting, for better or for worse.

Damia Devi gazed vacantly out the classroom window up at the darkened sun. Brushing auburn air out of her face, she sighed. Damia had stopped paying attention to her history teacher shortly after his drawling explanation of John Adam's presidential election. Her mind was elsewhere.

_There's the track meet today. I should be warming up now, not sitting here. Plus, it's my birthday! People should be allowed to miss school on their birthday. Mom wouldn't let me though. I know Krista got to on her birthday last year..._

For a moment, Damia thought she saw something white and glittering zip through the sky. Blinking to clear her vision, she couldn't be sure she saw it at all. It wasn't a plane or a bird, if it hadn't just been a figment of her imagination.

What Damia somehow didn't see was the eerily strange circus tent descending on huge balloons into the outskirts of town.

***

Hysterical laughter and choruses of "Free at last!" and "Now the fun begins!" reverberated through the stale darkness. Grotesque and bizarre clowns, acrobats, jugglers, and all manner of circus performers tumbled and frolicked.

One hoarse laughing voice rose above the rest. "The Dark Moon will rise again and soon the whole world will behold Queen Nehelenia's beauty," a hunched and wrinkled figure that didn't look entirely human declared triumphantly. The crowd below her high platform echoed her words, shrieking and laughing. In one of her knobby hands, she grasped a twisted staff that may have been made of bone. Perched atop it was a single roving eye with wings and a torch-like flame sprouting from the top. "Sahara Quartet!" she boomed.

Four young acrobatic boys flipped and cartwheeled into the center of the ring below and saluted. "Yes Zirconia!" They chorused.

"You must find Pegasus," he commanded, "Without the Golden Crystal he carries Queen Nehelenia cannot break free of the prison that the Queen of the White Moon locked her in so long ago. We know he is near by. The Amazoness Trio has tracked him this far."

"Finding one winged horse in a town like this shouldn't be hard," the boy with his long red hair tied in a braid, TouTou, scoffed, "Where could he possibly hide?"

"Fool," Zirconia sneered, "This Pegasus guards Elysion, the realm of dreams. He'll surely hide in the dreams of some beautiful dream now that he knows we are searching for him."

"In a dream mirror, then?" the oldest boy, who had long, sleek blond hair, asked.

"Exactly," Zirconia laughed, "I'm surprised at your clever thinking AthoAtho."

"But how do we know it's the one?" NikNik, a boy with unkempt blue hair, asked.

"You stick your head inside and look around," Zirconia rasped impatiently.

"How do we find the person whose mirror he's hiding in?" TouTou asked.

"They will have beautiful dreams," he said with a sneer.

"Oh," the fourth boy, ParPar, commented. His green hair was in an unflattering bowl cut.

"I have chosen your first targets for you," Zirconia said. Zircon, the winged eye that had perched on Zirconia's staff, flew over the heads of the boys and dropped a poster with a photo clipped to it.

AthoAtho picked it up. "Two girls?" he asked skeptically, "A track meet?"

"Those two are rivals. They are the best sprinters at this meet and they both dream of being even faster. Which one of you will take this one?" he asked.

"I will," the blue-haired boy volunteered.

"Good," Zirconia said, "NikNik, target whichever of the two wins and check her mirror. If you can get both, all the better. Understood?"

"Yes Zirconia!"

***

The spirit of Pegasus soured through the sky over Asatara, Illinois. _She's here_, he thought with desperate excitement, _The Lady of Elysion is here._

***

As Damia approached the blocks, she was already in a bad mood. Before the meet even started the coaches collected votes for who the year's captain would be. Althea won, uncontested, as the girls' captain. _It should have been me, not that..._

"Girls, four hundred forty meters," a voice announced over the PA system, "The most popular female runners from both schools, Asatara Jr. High and Forest Hills Jr. High, compete in this event. The favorite for Forest Hills is, number twelve, Anna Johnson. The favorites for our very own Asatara High are, number seven, Althea Orenda and, number forty-two, Damia Devi!" Cheers erupted from the bleachers.

Down near the starting line the girls stretched out. Damia smoothed out her green and blue uniform and jogged in place. _This is it!_ She thought willfully, _I'll win. This is our homecoming week meet and my birthday. Althea can take captain from me but she can't take the blue ribbon away. I'll win. I have to._ Damia bent down and touched her toes then stretched her calves. Her wavy hair fell into her face. She brushed it back, wishing she had thought to tie it back, for once.

Althea took a quick swig of water from her water bottle and began stretching. She was taller and leaner than most girls, giving her an advantage of longer strides. Her silvery gray hair was done in a bun, but a thin lock of hair had escaped the hair binder and hung loosely down past her shoulders. _Of course I'll win,_ she thought, _I've never felt better. Damia only thinks that she'll win because she beats me most of the time in practices. I don't push myself as hard then as in meets. It'll be easy._

"Go Damia!" Nerine Chailyn, a short blond girl, cheered from the sidelines, but her voice went unheard in the roar of the crowds.

"Runners take you mark," the voice announced.

The eight girls on the track moved up to the starting block and got into position. With a bang, they were off. The crowd cheered.

Damia rocked from the blocks with a burst of energy. She took the lead immediately and held it. She felt the rush of victory as she rounded the first corner, wind ruffling her hair behind her. _I'm doing it!_ She thought.

The leaders rounded the second corner. Althea upped her pace a little, still saving her energy for the all out sprint for the last leg. She passed two people, slowly gaining on the leader, Damia.

Damia rounded the final corner putting on all of the speed that she could. She saw the banner with 'Finish' written in red letters not far ahead of her. She could almost feel the red ribbon breaking as she ran through it. _Only a little farther_, she thought, _only a little faster._

Althea put on more energy. She passed one of the underclassmen. All she needed to do was to catch Damia. Her rival was keeping a continuous pace considerably slower than she was. She sprinted. Soon she was even with the brown-haired girl.

_No!_ Damia thought and desperately pushed herself harder, but she couldn't match the taller girl's pace. She fell behind instants before the red ribbon was broken.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the announcer said boldly, "In first we have Althea Orenda, in second we have Damia Devi, in third we have Richelle Hotechel, in fourth we have Anna Johnson…"

Damia didn't care about the places. Tears welled up in her blue eyes. "What a rotten birthday this has been so far," she lamented.

"Well done girls!" their coach congratulated. "It looks like we have a new team captain. Congratulations Althea!" As the girls dispersed, the coach wandered over to Damia and put her hand on the girl's shoulder. "Don't worry," she said comfortingly, "We got first, second, _and_ third place. That puts our school in first. You ran great, yourself, Damia. Don't be so disappointed. You couldn't have asked for more." With that the coach wandered off.

"She doesn't get it," Damia muttered angrily, tears flowing down her face. "I've won plenty of red ribbons before. I need to beat Althea at something, but I guess I just can't!" She stormed off the track into the locker room.

NikNik perched at the top of the bleachers surveying the meet below. He lowered his binoculars. "Too bad that forty-two girl, Damia, didn't win," he said to himself, "She looked like a typical beautiful dreamer. I wish I could have gotten her mirror too, but since she disappeared, it will have to be number seven ." He hopped off the bleachers and slunk through the shadows.

"Will the captains of each team please step forward to receive the ribbons for their team members," the announcer commanded.

Althea and three other students, one boy from each school and a girl from the other, walked up to claim the ribbons for the people on their team.

NikNik snickered. He wore a frilly circus shirt full of sequins that matched his hair. In one hand was a sky blue orb and in the other, a pool cue. No one had caught site of him, yet. Soon they would. He snickered, "Let the fun begin!"

Damia threw off her track uniform and pulled on some jeans and a t-shirt. As she stuffed her clothes into her gym bag she noticed a small wrapped box next to it. Hesitantly, she picked it up. It looked like it could be a birthday present for her, but it didn't have any kind of card or label. Gingerly opening it, she found a small red sphere inside. It was about as big around as a quarter and, as she turned it in her hand, she noticed that it had a symbol etched onto it. It looked like a circle and a slanted L intersecting each other.

Suddenly, she heard a scream from out on the track.

_Damia stood in a crystal wood with a shining white Pegasus standing in front of her. "Maiden," his soft voice echoed in her head, "Use it."_

Damia shook herself. _What was that all about?_ Staring down at the sphere in her hand, an impulse struck her. She it into the air and yelled, "Elysion Terran Power, Makeup!"

Damia was enveloped in golden light. Seconds later she emerged, feeling somehow powerful. Her appearance had changed as well. Her hair had had plaited into pigtail braids that were looped back and twisted together in a low bun on the back of her head. Her clothes resembled the outfits in a TV show that her younger cousin Kari loved to watch: Sailor Moon. _This is impossible._

She had elbow length gloves with three spring green bands at the end. She had a spring great miniskirt and matching sailor collar. Two royal purple bows topped off the outfit, one on her chest and one on her rump. Adding a little glitz, she had a golden tiara, red brooch, and red earrings. On her feet were gold high-heels. Damia should have felt embarrassed to be at school dressed like that, but wasn't.

The gentle voice echoed in her head again, _"Go, Sailor Elysion, she needs your help. I will be with you."_

Damia—no, Sailor Elysion sprinted out the door and confronted a screaming crowd. Panicked people ran in every direction. At the center was a inhuman looking acrobat leaping around and attacking bystanders with its flaming baton. Another smaller figure with stood over a limp looking Althea. Above her hovered a pink rimmed mirror

The blue-haired boy cursed and kicked Althea. The girl's usually intense silver eyes were blank and unfocused. "Remless!" NikNik ordered, "Dispose of this mirror. He's not here."

The blue skinned baton twirler flipped over to NikNik and licked its lips.

"_Go," _the voice said to Sailor Elysion.

Damia sprinted towards the villains and victim. "Stop right there!" the words flowed out of her reflexively, "I will not have you destroying the dreams of an amazing runner. I am Sailor Elysion, Soldier of the Crystal Wood!"

"Big words for a little Sailor," NikNik commented, snickering. "I'm NikNik of the Sahara Trio, working for the Dead Moon Circus. Don't get in my way! Remless?"

"On it!!" it answered.

"Get rid of her and destroy that mirror," he ordered. In a blink of an eye, he disappeared.

"Come back here!" Elysion yelled, still angry with him calling her little. She _was_ short but he was much smaller than her.

"_Attack now,"_ the voice advised as the Remless flung its baton at her.

She jumped up and yelled, "Elysion Pure Energy Force!"

The creature shrieked as golden light energy erupted from her hands and enveloped it. It broke into pieces and shattered like a mirror. The last trace was its shadow, which soon dissipated.

Sailor Elysion nudged the dream mirror back into Althea's body. It disappeared inside her chest and as her eyes came back into focus. "What happened?" she moaned.

"Someone attacked you, but they've left," Damia said and grinned down at her gray-haired rival, "I'm glad you're okay. Where would I be without my rival?" Sailor Elysion dashed back towards the locker room before Althea could comprehend what she had just said.

***

"Happy birthday, Damia!" her mother and her younger cousin, Kari, sang as she walked through the door. A carrot cake and several gifts sat on the table.

Kari, her nine-year-old cousin, ran over to hug Damia. "Happy birthday!"

"You did great at the meet dear," her mother said warmly, "Even though you didn't beat Althea like you wanted to, I know you did your best and beat your own all time record. I'm sorry we had to leave right after your race. Did we miss much?"

Damia laughed. "No. You didn't," she said as she gave her tiny cousin a hug around the shoulders, "Asatara won the meet, though."

"Congratulations!" her mother said, "Now time for cake."

***

Damia sighed and collapsed onto her bed. It had been a long, busy day and her muscles ached. As she pulled off her clothes and put on her pajamas, she noticed two elegantly wrapped gifts sitting at the end of her bed. She picked up the larger one. Again, neither had tags to indicate who they were from.

_Why didn't Mom tell me about these?_

She opened it carefully to find a green and gold chalice with some beads draped from it. "How pretty!" she exclaimed and set it on her bedside table. She opened the smaller box finding three more spheres like the one she had mysteriously received that afternoon. One was silver, another royal blue, and the third light green.

She heard a twinkling noise behind her and looked at her bedside table. A pink bubble with a pegasus inside had replaced the top of the chalice. "Happy birthday Maiden," the tiny pegasus said.

"It's you!" she exclaimed, hardly believing her eyes, "You gave me these!" She held out the box.

"Yes," the pegasus replied calmly, "You can call me Pegasus. I am sorry I couldn't speak to you earlier, but those of the Dead Moon acted too quickly. As I am sure you already realized, You are Sailor Elysion. I will help you in anyway I can. Right now you, we, are all that stands between the Dead Moon Circus and the people of your town. There are other Sailor Soldiers like you, of course. I sensed the owners of those other three spheres close by."

"You know so much more than you're saying, Pegasus. Tell me what's going on, really," Damia implored, yawning, "This all hardly seems real."

"I'll give you answers tomorrow," he shook his head, his mane flowing around it. "For now, sleep. You are tired."

Pegasus disappeared and the top of the chalice returned. Damia restlessly settled into her bed. Today seemed like a dream already, and she wasn't sure if it was a good or bad one.

***


	3. Chapter 3 Trio

The Battle Begins

"So HOW does THIS sound?" Tacita asked loudly, her pitch, rhythm, and stresses irregular

Malia winced, speaking and signing back, "A little loud, and you are stressing some words kind of weird. Concentrate on keeping your voice even and try no to put so much air into it."

"Is this better?" Tacita asked again. Now her voice was barely audible but still with a strange cadence.

Her younger sister sighed and sat back into her chair, "Now you're far too quiet."

The deaf girl threw her hands up in the air in exasperation then signed, '_This is so hard and frustrating! I don't even know where to start!'_

"I think you're being a little too hard on her, Malia," Charisse commented as she brushed through the dining room. "Tacita can't hear what normal speech sounds like to get used to what it feels like."

"Sorry," Malia got up and gave her older sister a big hug the stood back so she could sign as she spoke, "You're doing great so far! I couldn't have done better!"

Tacita smiled shyly and signed back, 'T_hanks. I appreciate the help.'_

"Though," Malia advised, "Next time you're Sailor Cocytus, make sure to pay attention to what normal talking feels like."

_'I definitely will,'_ Tacita signed back, smiling, _'I really am lucky to have these powers. Although, now I know what I'm missing.'_

"Hey you two!" Charisse, their blond older sister, called from the front door, "It's time to go now!"

"'Kay!" Malia answered then signed to Tacita, _'Time to go.'_ The two got up from the table, picked up their bags, and hurried for the door.

When they arrived at school they went their separate ways; Malia to algebra, Charisse to chemistry, and Tacita to English. Not even a whole week had passed since the sisters first entered their new school, but they already fell into the rhythm of the school year at Elk Valley.

In her first class, Tacita always sat in the front, right corner and Ashley Higgins, her new found friend, sat next to her. They did the same in art and American history as well. Between Ashley and the other friends she had introduced Tacita to, Tacita had a friendly face and someone to sit with in every class. Ashley and her friends, especially Ashley, jumped at every opportunity to learn bits of sign language from Tacita. It was a sort of inclusion that Tacita hadn't felt outside of her own family before, and it thrilled her.

Ashley, a girl with dancing green eyes and a constant grin, plopped down in her seat next to Tacita and burst right into conversation. She took great care to move her lips and look at Tacita as she spoke. Smiling, Tacita quickly took out her notebook and a pencil.

"So," Ashley began, "How far did you get on that essay? It's really hard! I don't like it one bit and I'm not very far. It scares me that it's due tomorrow already."

Tacita nodded and wrote in response, 'I do think it is hard, but my sister Malia gave me a few pointers, and now it is going much more smoothly.'

"Oh!" Ashley exclaimed, "What were they?"

Tacita drew her notebook back to her and jotted down the five suggestions that her younger sister had given her the night before then tore out the page and gave it to her friend.

Ashley took the paper thankfully and scanned it over.

The bell rang and their English teacher, Mrs. Lindell, strode from her desk to the front of the room and began reading off the morning announcements, signing as she went. When she finished, she announced, "I will be giving you the first half of class to work on your essays and the second half we will do some grammar studies."

Half of the class groaned while the majority of the others seemed glad to have the time to work.

The petite teacher walked over to her desk and straightened a few papers, then strode over to Tacita.

_'Tacita,'_ she signed, '_I would like you to come down to the office with me.'_

Tacita's eyes widened in apprehension, but nodded anyway.

"Good," Mrs. Lindell said. "I need to run down to the office, but I will be back in a few minutes to answer any questions you might have on your essays," she announced to the class. '_Follow me Tacita,' _she signed then turned and briskly headed for the door. Tacita, somewhat clumsily, slipped out of her seat and hurried to the door after her.

Despite Mrs. Lindell's small stature, Tacita struggled to keep up with her quick strides. When they reached the office, Mrs. Lindell strode past the secretary and into the principal's office while Tacita shadowed her, fidgeting nervously with her hair. Mrs. Lindell cleared her throat.

The gray-haired principal looked up from his paperwork over the top of his glasses. "Mrs. Lindell?" he asked.

Mrs. Lindell was neither signing nor facing Tacita, so the conversation was lost to her.

She drove straight to the point, "This girl here, Tacita Trey is deaf and was not given any aid of any sort to help her out. I am sure this was in her files when she transferred her. Her grades are suffering because she cannot hear and thus not really understand."

"And what do you propose we do about this?" the principal asked professionally, "We do not have it in our budget to support her disability with another staff member nor do we have any aides that could help her."

"So I'm the only one in this school who can sign?" she demanded exasperatedly.

"You can?" he sated more than asked, raising an eyebrow, "Then we have just solved our problem. You will aid her while she is in homeroom, I can arrange to put here there…"

"She already is," Mrs. Lindell interrupted.

"Alright," he continued, "See to it that she understands what she is doing in other classes. If not, help her understand. If I recall, you are fairly proficient in most subjects."

"I still have my other students to teach," she reminded him, "This is not a permanent solution to the problem."

"I understand your concerns Valerie," he replied slowly, "But there is nothing I can do right now. I'll bring this to the school board and see if anything can be done."

Mrs. Lindell pursed her lips, wanting to say more, but held her tongue. "Thank you, George," she said simply. After a pause, she left the office, gesturing for Tacita to follow, leaving the girl all the more confused.

***

Michel shifted in his desk and yawned. His hair was of an unremarkable brown shade and perpetually messy while his rounded face was dotted with freckles. He was somewhat short, making him even more inconspicuous. The only thing that set Michel apart were his vivid violet eyes, but his shaggy bangs nearly always obscured them.

He had been in the school system since Kindergarten, and nothing interesting had ever happened for him there. Michel could get much better grades than he did, but he was too uninterested to try. This class, history, failed to interest him. It was always lecture after lecture of events and dates. It nearly put him to sleep. Only a few students seemed interested, if only by paying attention. He noticed one girl was sleeping, head down on her desk, at the other side of the room. Just barely managing to keep in a snicker, Michel turned his glaze out the door into the empty hallway.

Except the hallway wasn't completely deserted now. His English teacher, Mrs. Lindell, swept by at her normal brisk pace and gliding behind her was a girl he had never seen before. She was about his age with beautiful, wavy, lavender hair that reached her ankles and china-pale skin. _She's definitely new here, _he thought, entranced, _I wonder who she is?_

For the remainder of the class, instead of fighting to stay awake as usual, he was lost in day dreams of how to meet the girl he had had caught a glimpse of.

***

"Malia, Tacita!" Charisse called from the front door, impatiently swinging it back and forth, "Do you two want to go shopping or not? Hurry up!"

"Coming!" the younger girl yelled and scurried down the stairs with her older sister descending more cautiously behind her.

"It's about time," Charisse brushed her curly blond hair over her shoulder as her younger sisters stepped outside then closed the door behind them. She slung her purse over her shoulder after retrieving her car keys. They walked across the lawn and hopped into Charisse's silver second-hand car.

As Charisse started up the car, both of her sisters rolled down the windows to take in the crisp autumn air. It wouldn't be long before they would have to keep all the windows shut and bundle up just to rush from the door to the car. The days were already getting noticeably shorter and the evenings colder. It was all the more reason to enjoy the pleasant days they had left.

A couple miles from home, as they were passing one of the churches in the area, a shriek split the air. A week ago, they wouldn't have thought twice about it, but now the girls were on edge.

"Charisse! Stop the car!" Malia shrieked and her sister slammed on the breaks. All three girls abruptly jerked forward in their seats.

Tacita gave the red-haired girl a perplexed look. '_Why? What is going on?'_ she signed.

_'Someone is in trouble. It might be the Amazoness Trio's fault,'_ she replied.

"Malia, take Tacita, transform, and check it out," Charisse ordered, "I'll park the car someplace safe then catch up with you. Now go!"

Malia grabbed Tacita's hand and flung the door open, pulling her older sister out with her. Together, they sprinted for a clump of bushes by the side of the road as Charisse quickly drove off.

Once concealed, the younger girl produced her small red sphere. Tacita took the hint and produced her own lavender one.

"Phlegethon Terran Power, Makeup!" Malia yelled.

"CocyTUS Terran Power, MAkeup!" Tacita chorused clumsily.

A flash of soft lavender light and fiery red enveloped the them, and moments later, Sailor Phlegethon and Sailor Cocytus emerged.

Sailor Cocytus cringed almost immediately. "I don't think I'll ever be able to get used to sound," she moaned, her voice much more controlled than just a few moments before.

"Don't worry about that now," Phlegethon said shortly and tapped her red iron staff on the ground impatiently, "Let's go check it out!"

Sailor Cocytus nodded and took off running after her younger sister, who had already started sprinting in the direction of the scream they heard.

Sure enough, a familiar orange-clad woman was making trouble. LionEye loomed over a shorter blue haired woman: Mrs. Lindell.

"Stay away from me, you… you—!" the teacher shrieked and backed away from her attacker.

"Oh, just be a good sport and let me get a good look at your dream mirror," LionEye said casually, taking deliberately slow, but long steps towards Mrs. Lindell. "You may have some secrets hidden in among your dreams."

"I promise you, I don't! Just leave me alone!" she said, her voice wavering, terror welling up in her. As she backed up, she stumbled over a log on the ground behind her. LionEye took this opportunity to get closer to her prey. She flipped head over heels in one easy movement and landed only inches in front of Mrs. Lindell. Tacita's teacher's eyes widened with fright.

The Amazon woman smirked, satisfied with her performance, then shouted, "One!"

An elaborate red board with a strange, white circular symbol on the top sprung up behind Mrs. Lindell and she backed into it. "W—what?" she stammered.

"Two!"

Shackles emerged from the board and clasped around the teacher's wrists and ankles. She struggled desperately at her bindings. "Let me—" she shrieked but was cut short.

"Three!"

A pink-rimmed mirror with a small blue bow at the top began to materialize in front of Mrs. Lindell's chest. Her desperate demand was lost in a scream of agony. As soon as the mirror fully materialized, her eyes became unfocused and her body fell limp against the shackles.

Angry tears welled up in Sailor Cocytus's eyes as she watched in horror from the cover of the bushes not far off. "_No!_" she whispered harshly. She couldn't bring herself to move from where she stood. Phlegethon tugged at her hand, but to no avail.

LionEye cackled and stepped forward. She grasped the mirror in both hands and thrust her head through the reflective surface and into the dreams of her captive. Mrs. Lindell screamed in pain again.

The sandy blond woman drew her head back out of the mirror and cursed. "I guess I'll just have to destroy this. Pity, she had some very beautiful dreams," LionEye sighed and picked up the log that the teacher had just tripped over. She raised it to smash the mirror.

"Hemera Beautiful Love Conviction!" Sailor Hemera rushed onto the scene, attack blazing. The stream of spiraling pink energy struck LionEye's hands, who dropped the log. She cursed again.

"Stop right there, you witch!" Sailor Hemera yelled triumphantly, "I don't know what you're up to, but that's a nice woman who doesn't deserve all this! Get away from her. I'm Sailor Hemera, and there's no way I'll let you get away with what you've done."

Sailor Cocytus was finally unfrozen from her shock. She took a deep breath and rushed out from her cover, younger sister behind her. "I'm Sailor Cocytus," the indigo-haired soldier declared.

"And I'm Sailor Phlegethon," Sailor Phlegethon added.

Together the two finished, "We're the Elysion Soldiers, bound to protect Earth and it's beautiful dreamers!"

"You three again!" LionEye cried exasperatedly, "I don't feel like tangling with you just now, so I'll be off. This isn't the last you've seen of the Dead Moon Circus! So long!" She snapped her fingers and circle of orange fire, a swirling portal, appeared above her head. With one powerful leap, she was through it and gone. The circle shimmered for a moment more and closed up. The moment it did, the board disappeared and Mrs. Lindell crumpled to the ground with her dream mirror floating peacefully over her.

Sailor Cocytus gasped and rushed over to her teacher. She took the mirror and gave it a gentle push towards the woman's chest, hoping it would return to where it came from. The gesture worked and it slowly dissolved back into her. Color returned to Mrs. Lindell's face and her eyes came into focus. When she saw the girl kneeling next to her with a concerned look on her face, she stuttered quietly, "Tacita?"

Both Sailor Hemera and Sailor Phlegethon were startled, but managed to hide their surprise. Cocytus only shook her head calmly and answered as calmly as she could, "No, I'm Sailor Cocytus."

"No, I guess it couldn't be," she muttered. After a pause the teacher asked again, "What happened? Is that woman gone?"

"Yes," Charisse answered evenly and lent the teacher a hand in getting up, "She left. She wanted something she thought you had but was actually mistaken. She should leave you alone now."

"Thank you," she stuttered and nodded nervously, "I really should be going." With that she stumbled off towards the parking lot and to her car. It was parked next to remarkably familiar a small silver car.

"So that's where you put it," Phlegethon observed.

Hemera smiled and nodded, "Well, why not? I guess that's that, then. I wish we knew more about what's going on. It's too bad Helios had to go so suddenly."

"Yes," Cocytus agreed, "But for now we can just keep doing our duty to protect people from the Amazoness Trio and stay alert."

"So what now?" Phlegethon asked, cocking her head to one side and twirling her staff lightly between on the ground.

"We still have shopping to do," Hemera suggested with a mischievous look in her eyes.

Cocytus giggled and Phlegethon only answered, "I guess we do."

"Alright then!" Sailor Hemera said enthusiastically, "Let's go!"

"Not until after we've ditched the outfits though," Sailor Phlegethon answered, waving a finger warningly.

Both of her sisters laughed.

***

"So, how did your great, infallible plan to find the Secret Keeper go?" OrcaEye asked the moment LionEye stepped into the dimly lit lounge. She sipped lazily on a mixed drink while eying the other woman with some amusement.

"Oh, shut up, OrcaEye," LionEye snapped and sulked over to the bar, taking a seat as far away from the silver haired woman as she could.

"So your target wasn't the one then?" OspreyEye observed.

"No," she responded shortly.

"Our queen can't wait forever, you know," OrcaEye taunted.

"What right do you two have to say all this when all you do is laze around here?" LionEye demanded.

"Lazing around? Really?" OspreyEye asked, "While you were jumping into things, I have been doing my research and planning."

"Care to share your findings?" LionEye asked.

"Not until I've checked them out myself," she answered slyly, "I don't want to let you two get all the credit when I do all the work."

"That's unfair," OrcaEye accused.

"That's the way I roll," OspreyEye replied, smirking.


	4. Chapter 4 Quartet

Rivals and Allies

It had been three days since her birthday, when Damia first became Sailor Elysion. Since then, nothing strange had happened to indicate that day had been anything other than a dream. Other than, of course, the tiny winged horse in the chalice on her bed side table that kept talking to her.

Pegasus.

And, to be honest, she didn't mind him, figment of her imagination or no. The things he said made her feel like she was living in a secret fantasy land. It was a lovely escape from middle school life; a day dream.

He told her about the strange circus boy; how he belonged to a terrible group called the Dead Moon Circus that presumably wanted to take over the world.

He also told her that these powers of hers were not new at all. That, in fact, in a past life, she had been Sailor Elysion, a guardian of the ancient Earth. It was almost too much to fathom, but she couldn't help but trust him, if only from wishful thinking. Damia might not be the fastest runner or the most popular girl in Asatara, but she did have a secret past and magical powers. That, at least, made her special.

Not that she remembered even a moment of her supposed past, but it was fun to believe.

Smiling, she finished dressing and put the small red sphere in her pocket.

With a familiar twinkling sound, Pegasus appeared in the top of his chalice. "Good thinking, Damia," Pegasus praised, "Although the Dead Moon has been quiet for the last few days, they will certainly strike again. You should never be without that, your transformation sphere."

"So why are they attacking people for their Dream Mirrors anyway?" Damia asked, perching on the edge of her bed, "You didn't explain that."

"Well, the land I live in, it's called Elysion, the Realm of Dreams," Pegasus explained slowly, as if unsure where to begin. "The dreams of the people of Earth are very powerful, and it seems that the people of the Dead Moon want to enter in. They have been bombarding it from all angles for some time now, but do not have the incantation to enter. The tome this incantation is written in has been hidden in the dreams of The Secret Keeper.

"There is also the Golden Crystal. It was the most powerful treasure of the Earth Kingdom, and heirloom. I have been—" he stopped himself. Beginning again more confidently, he said, "That too has been hidden away in the dreams of a beautiful dreamer. Those power-hungry villains could easily want either or both. If they had either, especially the Golden Crystal, the devastation they could bring to this planet..." Pegasus trailed off.

"Damia, if you don't hurry up, you're going to be late!" her mother called from down the hall.

Quickly checking her watch, Damia rose from the bed and went to collect her backpack.

"Before you go," Pegasus said with some urgency, "Look at the other transformation spheres—the blue one. I believe Sailor Erebus is ready to reawaken. You must take it to her today. You will need her help in this fight."

Damia retrieved the small box she had received on her birthday from under her bed. Opening it, she reached for the sphere with the winding spiral symbol engraved on it. She asked, "But how will I know who—" As her fingertips touched its smooth surface an all-too-familiar face flashed before her: proud blue eyes and silvery hair tied back into a bun.

Damia drew her hand back in surprise. "Wait, no," she protested frantically, "How can she, of all people, be a Sailor Soldier like me?"

Pegasus shook his head. "Bring it to her today. You never know when the Dead Moon will strike, so you must get it to her as soon as you can," he urged. Instantly, the top of the chalice reappeared and he was gone.

"Damia, hurry up!"

***

Darkness and silence.

Even the ever-laughing shadows uttered not a noise under the big top. Nehelenia and Zirconia along with her were furious at their first failure. Perhaps this wouldn't be as easy as they had suspected at first. And perhaps everyone would get over constant failures.

Zirconia paced irritably back and forth on her podium. "Where is everyone?" she demanded, "There are still dreams to search."

"Afraid of failure," A young boy stepped forward. He was blond, wearing tight pin-striped pants and a blue tailored jacket. "But I'm not. I can handle this one, Zirconia."

"Good AthoAtho," Zirconia said tossing a photo down to him.

"Another girl? This shouldn't be hard," AthoAtho stated and tucked the photo into his jacket.

"I trust that you will bring back the golden crystal," Zirconia said then turned and disappeared back into the shadows..

***

Pegasus's warning, coupled with his assignment for her, had Damia sitting on pins and needles all day. She could hardly focus in any of her classes. Damia spent nearly all of English class watching Althea out of the corner of her eye and nervously rolling the blue sphere in her hand. Although she spent the period coming up with the best way to deliver the sphere to Althea, when class let out, Damia couldn't bring herself to face her.

When the day was finally over, Damia lingered at her locker. She couldn't avoid her rival any longer. There was track practice.

"Hey Damia!" Althea called from the other side of the track when Damia arrived, "You're late! What kept you?"

"Nothing really," She mumbled and jogged over to the girls' captain, "Sorry."

"Alright then," Althea said, "Then get running. I'll just get you checked off. Try to get at least two laps in before the coaches call everybody over."

Damia hesitated for a moment, hand fidgeting with the two spheres in her pocket. Althea shot her an expectant look from over the top of the attendance book. Loosing confidence again, Damia took off running.

In the football field that the track encircled, the cheerleaders were starting their own practice. As Damia jogged by them, a petite blond girl waved then called through cupped hands, "Hi Damia!" Damia, in turn, smiled and waved back. Although she and Nerine had only spent one trimester of pottery class sharing the same table, Nerine always made a point to greet Damia. Damia couldn't help but smile, the younger girl's friendly enthusiasm was always so infectious. Damia watched the girls in the center of the field for a while longer as she ran. Cheer-leading routines fascinated her.

Damia barely finished two warmup laps before the coaches called the team onto the grass for discussion and more stretches. Soon, they sent the runners back out onto the track. Today, one aim was to build new relay teams. To no one's surprise, and Damia's annoyance, she and Althea were assigned the 400 meter relay next week, along with two other girls. She was thankful, at least that she led the relay why Althea closed it out. That way, she wouldn't have to be the one to pass the baton off to Althea. She only had to bear Althea's glares from half a field away when she fudged the pass over and over again.

By the time the coaches called for cool-down laps, Damia was exhausted.

"You seem distracted today," Althea said, jogging lightly up behind her, "Something wrong?"

Damia hid her scowl, "Nothing, I've just got a lot on my mind." _Since when did you care? I bet you're just gloating._

"Huh," Althea responded.

Suddenly, Damia remembered the silver sphere in her pocket. "Actually," she stammered, "there's something I need to talk to you about."

"Really?" Althea seemed somewhat surprised, eying her closely, "Don't want to do the relay after all?"

"No, it's not that," Damia shook her head and reached into her pocket as they ran, "I have this—"

Just then, they passed the coaches and one of them waved Althea over. "I'll catch up with you later," she said and trotted off.

Damia sighed. She had missed a perfectly good chance to give Althea her transformation sphere and get that conversation over with. Somehow she doubted that Althea would even try to find her later.

Damia changed and lingered outside of the locker rooms, wondering if Althea had forgotten. A line of sweaty cheerleaders filed by her to get changed. Panting and taking up the rear, Nerine saw Damia and exclaimed, "I was watching you today, Damia."

"Really?" Damia asked, embarrassed.

"Yeah, I wish I could run like you guys," she said, "It looks like so much fun."

"I wish I could pull flips like you do," Damia laughed, "_That _looks thrilling."

Nerine giggled. "It is. My coach says that I'm small enough—if I loose some weight—to be lifted and thrown," she said, sheepishly pinching the flesh around her waist. "A little scary, but it would be awesome."

"Yeah, definitely," Damia agreed.

"Well, I should go change," Nerine put in, "See you later."

"Yeah, see you," Damia replied absently, glancing around for Althea.

The next two minutes dragged on like eons for Damia as she watched plenty of girls who weren't Althea enter and exit the locker room. When Nerine left, waving one more time at her, Damia didn't even notice. Finally, Althea hurried over at a light jog.

"Oh, Damia," Althea halted in front of her, suddenly remembering their earlier conversation. "You had something you wanted to tell me?"

Glancing nervously around her and swallowing, she started, "You remember what happened after the last track meet?"

"You remember?" Althea stammered, "No one else seems to."

Damia nodded. _No one else remembers? I'll have to ask Pegasus about this... _She reached into her pocket for the blue transformation sphere, "Well, I have this—"

Suddenly, they heard a girl scream outside. Althea, without a second thought, sprinted for the door.

"Wait! Stop!" Damia cried, rushing after her, "Althea, wait!" She caught up with her at the doorway where she stared in horror as another circus boy attacked Nerine. "Althea, take this," Damia said hurriedly and shoved the sphere at her, "We can help."

"What is—?" she began as she rolled it around in the palm of her hand. Upon seeing the spiral symbol, her eyes went out of focus and, as if by magic, a fierce wind blew all around her. Seconds later, it subsided and she murmured, "'Sailor Erebus, protect Elysion.' Pegasus..." She grasped the talisman tightly and a look of determination crossed her face. Glancing at Damia, she said, "Let's do this."

Damia smiled ruefully and thrust her own red sphere into the air, "Elysion Terran Power, Makeup!"

"Erebus, Terran Power, Makeup!"

Gold light flashed around Damia while Althea was enveloped in gray mist. Moments later, both emerged, changed. Damia was dressed in the same spring green and purple outfit as before. Althea's was similarly styled, though mostly gray, with light green bows, sapphire jewelry, and knee-high blue boots to match.

"Let's get out there and fight!" Sailor Erebus exclaimed and bolted out of the concrete hallway and on to the grass to where Nerine lay collapsed, Sailor Elysion at her heels. The blond boy, who looked to be right out of the circus, stood over her, pulling his head back out of the mirror.

"A false alarm!" he said, shaking his head, "I'll have to get rid of it then. Remless!" His shadow lengthened and a strange looking circus creature wielding two batons leaped out of it. It laughed and darted for the mirror.

"Not so fast," Erebus murmured dangerously then yelled, "Erebus Darkness Lifting Contradiction!" Her attack flew at the creature and it screamed then disappeared.

"Way to go, Erebus!" Elysion commended.

"What?" AthoAtho shrieked, his voice cracking, "Who are you?"

Sailor Erebus laughed maliciously.

"I'm Sailor Elysion, Guardian of the Crystal Wood!"

"And I'm Sailor Erebus, Guardian of the Shadow Labyrinth!"

"We can't forgive you for attacking someone as sweet as Nerine," Sailor Elysion added.

AthoAtho coolly eyed them both. "Am I supposed to be intimidated?" he taunted.

"Elysion Pure Energy Force!" Elysion cried, and her golden attack shot towards AthoAtho

He flipped out of the way at the last moment, crashing to the ground. "Until we meet again, Sailor girls!" he laughed as a gray sphere floated in front of him and soared away. He was nowhere to be seen.

Erebus watched it go, a look of frustration on her face while Sailor Elysion hurried over to Nerine and gently pushed the mirror back inside of her.

The short girl's eyes came back into focus slowly and she looked around, slightly disoriented. "I...what?" she stammered. When she realized that there were two sailors standing in front of her, her eyes darted excitedly from one to the other. Elysion offered her a hand and helped her to her feet. "Thank you so much!" she said, smiling, and hurried away.

Sailor Elysion met eyes with Erebus, who shrugged.

"I never would have thought I'd be fighting evil in heels and a miniskirt..." Sailor Erebus said thoughtfully. "Anyway, I have to get home," she said, then turned to go, but hesitated. "Tomorrow, you've got some explaining to do," she remarked sternly then walked away.

Watching her go, Sailor Elysion let out a deep sigh. _That went well, at least..._

***

"So, you found Sailor Erebus, then?" Pegasus asked that night.

"Yes," Damia answered disdainfully, "I found her alright. That wasn't the hard part."

"Oh no, did something happen?" he asked, voice full of concern.

"No, not really," she replied bitterly, then blurted, "It's just, why did it have to be Althea?"

"Althea? Is that the Lady of Erebus' name in this life?" Pegasus asked.

"Yes."

"And what's the matter with that?" he persisted.

"Well, for one, we're definitely not friends," she explained, the words angrily flowing out, "In fact, she's always trying to outdo me at everything. This whole Sailor thing was the one thing I had on her that she could never beat me at. And now, and now..."

"And now you have to work together to drive away the Dead Moon," he said soothingly, "I'm sorry, Damia. I would never make you do anything you really did not want to do unless it was absolutely necessary."

"No, I'm sorry," Damia sulked, "I was being stupid about all this."

He shook his head. "And who knows, maybe when the two of you are working together instead of trying to out-do one another, you might become powerful allies."


	5. Chapter 5 Trio

Brewing Storms

"Malia!" her raven-haired teacher scolded, "Pay attention!"

The young red-haired girl snapped out of her daydream. "Could you please repeat the question?" she asked, doing her best to sound attentive and respectful.

Her math teacher sighed, "Could you please give me what x is equal to?"

"Um," Malia pondered, "positive 3 or negative 7, I believe."

"Correct," the teacher said then directed her attention elsewhere, "Moving on, Teresa, what do those two numbers represent on the graph?"

"Uh, well," she girl stammered, brushing her violet hair from her face nervously, "I think it is… well… I don't know."

The teacher held back a groan. "Does anyone else know the answer?" she asked impatiently.

Malia tentatively raised her hand.

"Does anyone besides Malia know the answer?" The teacher demanded.

No one moved. Malia only raised her hand higher.

"Alright," she sighed, "What is it Malia?"

"The x-intercepts of the parabola," she answered.

"Correct," the teacher commended halfheartedly. Then she paused, preparing to lecture the class, "How is it that Malia, two years younger than the rest of you, is the only one in this class who knows all of this? I seriously suggest the rest of you get your act together. You are in the _advanced_ math class here. I expect to see _advanced_ work from all of you. To get that through all of your heads, I am adding problems twenty to twenty-five to your normal assignment tonight. You all, obviously, need more practice. Make sure you all understand this before tomorrow or at least have some good questions to ask so that you will be able to understand it. I've said this before, but I am always available before and after school for questions. Take advantage of that if you are lost."

Half of the students in the class groaned and several shot angry glances at Malia, who pretended to be unbothered.

The bell rang and everyone bolted. Malia took her time gathering up her stuff and slowly left the room, carefully avoiding the teacher's gaze. As she passed through the doorway, one of the older boys growled softly, "Thanks a lot Malia!" He slapped her hard on the back, hard enough for her to trip and fall to the floor, spilling her books everywhere. The boy and his friends laughed, and continued along their way.

Despite her embarrassment, the red-haired girl gathered up her books and stood up with a look of cold indifference on her face.

Being a grade ahead did have its drawbacks, like the envy everyone else had, her size, and the difficulty in making friends. Some teachers loved having her in their classes. Others, like her math teacher, resented it almost as much as the other students did.

"I wish the teachers wouldn't make such a big deal about my age," she murmured to herself as she made her way through the halls, head down. "Once one mentions it in front of the class, the whole school might as well know. Only, my size is a dead give away, anyway."

***

Malia, as usual, ate alone at lunch. Unlike Charisse and Tacita, Malia hadn't made any close friends yet and was too nervous to sit down amidst any of the established cliques. Though, it was only the second week of school, so she wasn't too worried yet.

The weather was nice, so she made here way out of the cafeteria and found a nice spot outside on the grass near the fence and sat there on the ground. She ate for lunch, always what she packed, usually leftovers from the night before. School lunch had never appealed to her, especially the terrible artificial egg omelets. She didn't like eggs to begin with, but powder eggs were the bottom line, as far as she was considered.

After devouring her cold lasagna and granola bar, Malia opened up her math book, flipped open her calculator, and began work on her homework. The less homework she had for the evening meant the more time she could spend relaxing, as well as teaching Tacita how to speak.

The assignment went quickly and easily for her. She was done with plenty of time left in lunch to relax and take in the sunshine.

Not two minutes after she had closed up her math book, a familiar violet-haired girl approached Malia tentatively.

Malia curiously cocked her head slightly to one side.

"Hey Malia," Teresa started nervously, once again absentmindedly playing with her short hair, "You really seem to get this math stuff…"

The older girl trailed off, and Malia just looked evenly back up at her with a neutral but friendly gaze. "Yes?"

"Well," Teresa started again, "could you help me with it? I really don't get it, and I don't want Ms. Smith getting really mad at me again."

Malia smiled sweetly. "Sure," she said and nodded, "We've got five or ten minutes. What don't you understand?"

"Really? Thank you so much!" The girl's face was brightened by a smile as she plopped herself down on the grass next to Malia. She explained, "I really don't understand any of this quadratic formula stuff, and the graphs too: porboles or whatever."

"Parabolas," Malia corrected as she opened up her math book and notebook to a good page and took out her pencil and calculator again. "I guess it would be easiest to start with the quadratic equation…"

Meanwhile, just beyond the chain-link fence in the woods beyond, stood a thin circus performer. She had short white-blond hair with light pink streaks, which was messy and looked almost boyish in style. She wore a pair of gray feathers behind her ears and had two stripes painted beneath her left eye, one deep maroon and the other violet. Her outfit was simple, just a loose violet tank top, maroon leggings, and tall violet boots. She flicked her right hand and a small photo appeared in it. Framed in the center was a cheerful looking young girl with red hair in a high ponytail and cheerful green eyes. The woman glanced from the photo to the figure sitting beyond the fence and back again. "That's definitely the one," she murmured to herself, and crept quietly closer.

"Okay!" Teresa said brightly, getting up off the grass as the bell sounded, "I think I get it now. Thanks so much! I really owe you!"

Malia grinned and replied, "Glad to be of service! Let me know if you have any more problems. I'd be happy to explain anything to you in the future."

Teresa giggled and nodded, then hurried back across the yard and towards school.

Malia packed her things back up in her bag and rose slowly, sighing, "It's good to see that not everyone resents me for getting this stuff faster than they do. I love helping people out. Maybe if I volunteered to be a tutor I'd make more friends." She heard something behind her and a feeling of foreboding washed through her. Carefully and slowly, she turned around.

There, leaning casually on the fence, was OspreyEye. She smiled sweetly, but with evil behind her smile, "You're even smarter than I had thought. Possibly that means that you're hiding some useful knowledge inside. Mind if I take a peek?"

Malia's eyes widened, she hadn't even time to reach for her transformation sphere.

"One!"

Charisse was leaving the schoolyard after lunch with her friends when a terrified scream split the air. She, and all of her friends, whirled around to search for the source of the yell. Malia stood shackled to a tall red board, fighting desperately at her bindings. Standing in front of her, oblivious to the rest of the students, was a thin woman wearing pink and maroon. "OspreyEye!" Charisse cursed under her breath, then turned to her stunned friends. "I'll go get help!" She sprinted off into the school, trying to remember where Tacita would be. She wouldn't have heard the scream. Meanwhile, her friends watched the scene unfold in horrified confusion.

Before she was even close to Tacita's next class, she ran into her sister hurrying towards the cafeteria herself. She had a grave look on her face.

"Tacita!" she gasped, panting.

_'I sense it. What's going on now?'_ she signed.

_'OspreyEye has Malia. We better hurry and find a place to transform!'_ the older blond replied.

Tacita grabbed her wrist and the two ducked into an unused classroom.

"COcytus Terran PowAR, MakeUP!"

"Hemera Terran Power, Makeup!"

"Three!" OspreyEye snapped her fingers and a pink-rimmed mirror materialized from out of Malia's chest. She yelped, then her body fell limp in the shackles. "That was easy," the Sahara woman chuckled, and approached the mirror. Grasping the edged in both hands, she thrust her head inside; Malia screamed again.

Pulling her head back out the groaned, "I see lots of beautiful dreams, and lots of knowledge, but nothing hidden from her, from the past. Zirconia won't be happy about this…"

"Hold it right there!" a female voice yelled.

"You're not going to get away with attacking her so easily, OspreyEye!" a second scolded, this one was softer than the first.

OspreyEye knew, even without looking, who the new intruders were. To her surprise, when she turn around to face them, she saw only two. "Not you brats again!" she retorted.

"I'm Sailor Hemera," the older of the two declared.

"I'm Sailor Cocytus," the second added.

"We're the Terran Soldiers, bound to protect Earth and it's beautiful dreamers!" they recited together, then rushed at OspreyEye.

"Cocytus Sky Shatter!"

OspreyEye dove out of the way then stood up. "I don't want to waste my time playing with you two. Remless! Take care of them! For now, I'll see you girls some other day!" With that she leaped backwards into a circle of gray feathers that she had conjured above her, and disappeared through the portal.

"Come back here!" Sailor Cocytus yelled after her, shaking her fists at the air where OspreyEye had just been.

The evil woman's shadow remained imprinted on the ground, then twisted and contorted until it materialized into a strange juggler that didn't appear entirely human. It cackled and Sailor Hemera scowled.

"You take care of Malia, I'll worry about this thing," she told her sister out of the corner of her mouth.

Sailor Cocytus nodded, and hurried around the creature to the red board where Malia was still bound.

Meanwhile Hemera taunted, "Hey you! Try juggling this: Hemera Beautiful Love Conviction!"

It roared in pain then summoned three juggling balls, tossing them around, it yelled, "Juggler Attack!" It flung the three spheres at Hemera. She dodged easily out of the way of the first two, but the third met its mark, exploding on impact. Sailor Hemera shrieked as it knocked her off of her feet and blasted her across the grassy yard.

Cocytus gently pushed the dream mirror back towards Malia and it dissolved back into her. Color came back into her face and the light came back to her eyes. She groaned and fell to the ground as the board supporting her disappeared. Seeing the trouble her older sister was having, Sailor Cocytus said quietly, "Stay right here Malia, Charisse and I can take care of this."

Malia only moaned in response.

"Cocytus Sky Shatter!" she attacked the Remless with all of her power. At the same moment, Hemera recovered, and leaped back into the fray.

"Hemera Beautiful Love Conviction!"

The creature screamed, "Juggler!" then shattered as if it had been made of a mirror.

"I'm glad that's over," Sailor Hemera sighed, "those things are tough."

Cocytus nodded as Malia sat up, slowly and painfully. "Now I really feel bad for anyone those women attack," she groaned, "if I didn't already."

Sailor Hemera laughed lightly, "Not fun, I take it."

"Oh!" Sailor Cocytus exclaimed and pointed towards the school, "Here comes the lunch supervisor."

"Malia, take the rest of the day off and rest in the nurse's office, okay?" the blond recommended, "You can afford it, you're smart!" She finished with a wink. "Sailor Cocytus, let's sneak off before he gets over here and get back to class," she suggested, "I don't want to be caught skipping!"

Sailor Cocytus laughed and the two of them jumped the fence and hurried off into the trees.

Malia, still dazed, smiled lightly, and then dizzily fell back onto her elbows for support. "Maybe I do need the rest," she chuckled.

***

"So what of your top secret plan for success?" OrcaEye taunted as OspreyEye slumped down onto the bar stool next to her.

"Mind your own business," she retorted.

"Ha!" LionEye laughed smugly, slinking out of the darkness and perching herself on the other side of OspreyEye, "Not as easy as you boasted it to be, huh?"

"Fine, fine," OspreyEye said, throwing her hands in the air, "You can say, 'I told you so.'"

LionEye grinned broadly, "I told you so."

"Now that it didn't work, want to share your secret plan with us?" OrcaEye edged closer to OspreyEye and slid a drink to her across the bar. "This one is on me," she added slyly.

"Always fishing for the easy way out, eh Orca?" LionEye observed, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, come on," OrcaEye defended herself, "You want to know just as badly as I do."

"Why would I want to know the secrets of a failed scheme?" she retorted aloofly but she watched OspreyEye out of the corner of her eyes.

"Fine," OspreyEye sighed. "What I found out was that when whoever is the Secret Keeper had that scroll or book or whatever hidden in their dreams, it caused a curse on them."

"A curse?" OrcaEye asked.

"Yeah," she responded, "Some sort of shortcoming."

"Or disability?" LionEye asked, clarifying.

"Something like that," OspreyEye nodded. "So I figured that whoever has the secrets must not only have that curse but also be really smart."

"Looks like that fell flat though," LionEye observed.

"Well, whatever," OspreyEye brushed her off, "It was just my first try after all. You didn't do so well yourself."

OrcaEye rose from her seat smiling slyly. "Thanks for sharing, OspreyEye," she said smugly, "I'll find the Secret Keeper myself, just you wait and see." With that she slunk off into the dimness.


	6. Chapter 6 Quartet

A New Wind

Damia woke early from vivid dreams of Pegasus, as she had every night since she became Sailor Elysion. Pegasus lived in the dream realm, so it was only natural that they meet while she slept. Every morning when she awoke, she felt like she knew more of the old Earth kingdom that she guarded. Some nights, she soared through a happy past where the crystal wood was lush and green and the pools sparkled in the moonlight. Other nights, she was met with the horrible reality of now. The temples stood in ruins, huge craters cut through the forest, and the entire realm was cloaked in darkness and cobwebs.

Last night was one of those nights. She awoke with a resolve to stop the Dead Moon and reclaim Elysion.

As she stretched in the early morning light, a ray of sun caught a small round object sitting on her nightstand.

Automatically, she picked it up. It was almost like her own red transformation sphere, but this one was light green. Marked in black on its smooth face was a strange symbol resembling a plus sign missing the right side of the cross with an arch across the top left corner and a curved tail ending the curve off the top. As she held it in her hand, a familiar face flashed before her.

"Nerine!" she exclaimed.

A twinkling noise behind her announced the arrival of Pegasus in his chalice. "The Lady of Aether is ready to reawaken," he explained.

"It was Nerine all this time," Damia mused. "No wonder I liked her."

Pegasus chose not to comment on the rivalry between her and Erebus. "Fate had it that you four would be reborn near the same time in nearly the same place."

Damia nodded as she pulled on a pair of jeans and pocketed the crystal sphere in her jeans. She squirmed into a plain violet t-shirt then settled back down on her bed. "Have I told you that there are seven Terran Soldiers?" he asked.

Damia shook her head, surprised, "From the number of these spheres, I thought there were only four of us."

"True, there are just four of you close by," the white winged horse explained, "but there are three more, far from here, who have also just recently awakened. The Dead Moon has two fronts as you soldiers have two fronts. In order to defeat this enemy, you may need the powers of all seven Sailor Soldiers, but the time for that has not yet come."

"So what can I do now?" Damia asked, reclining more into her bed.

"You must awaken the last two Terran Soldiers, strengthen your alliances, and be ready to fight the Dead Moon at any moment," Pegasus advised. "I am sorry that this burden is on you, my lady."

"No," Damia stammered, "It's alright. If I have the power to save people from these villains, then I want to do it."

"Damia! Breakfast is ready!" Kari called, "You'd better hurry or we'll miss the bus!"

"Coming!" the brunette called back down. With that, she snatched her backpack and hurried out of the room, shoving the door closed loudly behind her.

Pegasus called after her, though he knew she wouldn't hear, "Be on your guard, my lady! You never know when they will strike."

***

"You look smug TouTou," AthoAtho observed, slinking over to him.

"Because Zirconia let me take the next target while you all where lazing about," TouTou answered proudly, flipping his long braid behind his back.

"No fair!" ParPar whined as he tumbled down out of the darkness and landed like a cat beside the other two. "Lemme see!" he demanded and snatched the picture TouTou was holding out of his hands.

"Hey!" the redhead exclaimed.

"She looks boring anyway," ParPar said dismissively and tossed it to AthoAtho.

"I guess you're right," he said as he scrutinized the photo.

TouTou snatched it back. "You just watch, I'll be the one to bring back Pegasus and the golden crystal," he said smugly and strode off into the darkness.

***

Althea caught up to Damia after they had English class together. "Damia! Hold up!" she called, striding quickly up to catch her former nemesis before she left the classroom.

"This better be quick…" Damia mumbled quietly to herself, not wanting any of her friends to see her and Althea talking together. _I still have an image to uphold. _"Yeah?" she asked with forced politeness and stopped.

"So what's with this whole Circus and mirror thing? I've gotta know what's going on here," the gray-haired girl demanded in a low voice.

"Um," Damia hesitated, making sure the classroom was empty, then continued, "I've got to go to lunch, but I'll be fast: The Dead Moon Circus people want to find the Golden Crystal and this magic book, which are hidden in Dream Mirrors, which are inside everybody. Basically, it's our job to stop them. And then I need to find other Sailors like you to complete the team."

"That all?" Althea sounded skeptical.

"Basically," Damia answered succinctly, nodding and starting to hurry away. "I've got to run! My friends are waiting for me. See you around!"

Before Damia could get away, the taller girl snatched her arm and held her back, her silver eyes holding a dangerous look. "Hold it!" she said harshly, "You're not telling me everything you know; everything I need to know. Come on," she demanded, "and don't give me that B.S. about your friends waiting for you. I have to eat too, and both your friends and my friends will go on eating without us."

Gingerly pulling her arm away from the other girl with an air of disgust, Damia replied, "Fine. So far I know of two villains: NikNik, the one who attacked you and AthoAtho, the one who attacked Nerine. I bet there's more though. I know Pegasus still hasn't told me everything yet either."

"Pegasus?" Althea interrupted, "Isn't that a little kid thing?"

Damia scowled, "No. He's the one who gave me all the transformation spheres and tells me when I need to give them out. He has been telling me a little bit about what this is all about. Like we used to be alive a long time ago, guarding the Earth Kingdom."

"Oh?" Althea raised an eyebrow, "I haven't heard from this Pegasus."

"I think," Damia said hesitantly, "He only talks to me."

"Oh," Althea said huffily, "You have more of those spheres?"

"Yeah," Damia answered, fishing the sea foam green crystal from her jeans pocket, "This one I'm supposed to give to Nerine today. She's one of us too, you know."

"Nerine Chailyn?" Althea seemed startled.

"Yea, her," she nodded, "I was going to find her at lunch."

"You were?" the taller girl demanded, "You were going to do this without telling me about it? We are a team you know."

"Well, I am the leader, and we don't need both of us just to give it to her," she argued defiantly.

"Who made you leader?"

"Pegasus did!"

Althea groaned, "Pegasus again?"

"Didn't he speak to you when you first got that sphere?" Damia asked.

Althea pursed her lips thoughtfully. "Maybe," she said grudgingly, at last.

"If you don't believe me, you can come to my house some time. I'll show him to you," Damia declared, almost yelling with frustration, "For now, my friends are waiting for me, so I have to go." Not giving Althea a chance to grab her again, she stormed out the door, which slammed loudly against the wall as she flung it open.

"You still owe me more of an explanation than that!" Althea called angrily, then stalked out of the room, heading off the opposite direction.

***

TouTou strolled among the lunch tables out on the patio of Asatara Jr. High where students were milling around, chatting, and eating their lunches. The red-haired circus boy was right in guessing that this would be the perfect time to track down his target, a tall raven-haired girl by the name of Indira. He wore a baggy red t-shirt and jeans, fitting in with the students easily, even if his long, messy hair stood out like a lion in a flock of sheep. Glancing at the photo again, he scanned the crowd, but she was nowhere to be seen.

"Damia!" her blond friend June called, waving at her from their usual table, "What took you so long? You're usually not late like this."

"Sorry," Damia apologized, sliding onto the bench next to her. She lied, "I had to go to the bathroom and there was a line."

"Don't you just hate lines like that?" Jesse, yet another blond commented.

"Yea," she nodded, and caught a glimpse of Nerine out of the corner of her eye. Damia fidgeted slightly, hesitating to leave again. "I hate to run off on you guys again," she started, "but I just remember I have something of Nerine's and I need to give it back. I'll be right back!"

"You're busy today," Jesse commented as Damia stepped back over the bench and strode quickly over to Nerine's table.

Tapping Nerine's shoulder, she fished in her pocked for the green sphere.

"Huh?" Nerine muttered and twisted around on her bench. When she saw who tapped her, her green eyes brightened, "Oh! Hi Damia! What is it?"

"Hey Nerine," Damia responded, putting on a cheerful face to match, "Um, I was supposed to give this to you." Without saying another word, she took the small sphere and pressed it into Nerine's open hand that rested lightly on the table.

The small blond girl glanced down at the strange object and looked back up at Damia, clearly stunned, "Well, thanks."

"No problem!" Damia said nervously and hurried away.

From behind her, she could hear one of Nerine's friends ask, "So what was that about?" Meanwhile, Nerine stared transfixed at the crystal sphere as if hypnotized.

As Damia strode back to her seat, absorbed with the idea of just getting back to her table. She was paying so little attention to what was going on around her that she bumped into another taller girl. She had jet black hair that hung down just past her shoulder in sleek locks. The girl looked at her quizzically for a moment as Damia mumbled, "I'm sorry!" and hurried on. Shrugging, she continued towards the entrance to the school again.

"You're finally going to eat now, are you?" June asked when she returned.

"It's a good thing you brought a lunch today Damia," Amy commented dryly, "The lunch lines are closed already. You hardly have time to eat what you have anyway."

Damia giggled nervously, "I guess I just have days like this." Within moments she was in haling her turkey sandwich as fast as she could. As she ate, the hair at the back of her neck prickled. _Something isn't right around here, I just know it._

At last TouTou spotted the girl he was looking for. With her height, she stood out in the crowd. "I'm not wasting any more time," he muttered and summoned his red orb. In an instant, he was in his circus wear: pair of baggy white pants. Only two thick suspender-like straps covered his otherwise bear chest. In one hand, he clutched a menacing-looking black whip.

"Oh my God!" a boy eating near him swore, "Who the heck is that?"

Another girl shrieked.

Tall Indira was somehow remained oblivious to his presence. He cracked his whip once at her, narrowly missing her arm. Abruptly halting, she spun to face him a dangerous look in her midnight blue eyes.

"Ambitious and solitary Indira Thorson," the red-clad performer sneered, "Just who I was looking for."

"What do you want?" she asked defiantly.

"Just a look at your Dream Mirror!"

"What?"

"Red ball in the center pocket!" TouTou declared as he produced a pool cue and shot his sphere straight for Indira. She shrieked as a pink-rimmed mirror was ripped from her body and collapsed to the ground, the mirror floating gently above her.

Indira's shriek caused every one of the students and teachers to swivel their heads and watch in horror. Damia and Althea were particularly interested as they watched. They managed to catch each other's eyes from across the lawn, and quickly snuck off. Without having asked her to, Nerine followed with a light of understanding in her eyes.

Damia snuck into the bushes and Althea dove in after here. "We've got to hurry before that guy does more damage!" the mousy-haired girl declared impatiently, searching her pockets for her sapphire sphere. Damia already had hers ready. Suddenly, a third girl burst through the brush.

"Nerine!" Damia exclaimed, "What—?"

"I understand what I have to do," she said quickly, "What are you guys waiting for?"

"Nothing!" Althea retorted impatiently, "Erebus Terran Power, Makeup!"

"Elysion Terran Power, Makeup!"

"Aether Terran Power, Makeup!"

TouTou scowled as he pulled his head back out of the mirror. "I thought this one was sure!" he exclaimed, then snapped his whip impatiently. Some nearby girls shrieked, huddling together. A slow smile crossed his face. "Or maybe the mirror is yours? Red Ball Corner Pocket!" Producing the pool cue again, he shot his crystal orb at the trio of terrified girls. Two managed to get out of the way, but the third brunette received the missile straight in the chest. She screamed and collapsed, her dream mirror floating above her. He leaped over, grasped the rim of the mirror, and stuck his head inside. "No Pegasus again?" he cried exasperatedly, "I'll try all of you if I have to!"

"Oh no you won't!" Sailor Elysion declared, rushing on to the scene with Erebus and Aether close at her heels. "You will leave this place Amazon Boy!"

"Leave these students alone!" Sailor Erebus ordered furiously, coming to a halt with her two companions. "I'm Sailor Erebus, Guardian of the Shadow Labyrinth!"

"I'm Sailor Elysion, Guardian of the Crystal Wood!"

"I'm Sailor Aether, Guardian of the Airy Way!"

"I'm TouTou, nice to meet you," the red-haired boy said with mocking charm, "Now I can't stay long with you brats here, so I'll just leave a friend of mine to take care of you and these mirrors."

"What?"

"Remless!" TouTou called and a not-quite-human fire-breather sprung out of his shadow. "Have fun with them Fire-Eater! Goodbye all!" With that, he disappeared.

"Come back here coward!" Erebus yelled at the place where he had been.

Just then, the students began screaming again. The Remless spurted fire in all directions as he made his way towards the mirrors.

"Not so fast," Aether cried, leaping up onto a table, "Aether Moonlight Flash!"

The Remless yelped as the silvery blue light struck it and cringed back. Several students took its short pause to hurry away and cower beneath the tables.

"Yeah! That's the idea Aether!" Sailor Elysion cheered, climbing up on the table next to the smaller blond. "Elysion Purity Force!"

Erebus joined in, "Erebus Darkness Lifting Contradiction!"

The two attacks struck the fire-breathing Remless and it shattered with a scream. The shadow it left behind slowly faded away.

"Awesome!" Aether said, skipping down from the table, "That was a thrill! So, what do we do about this mess?" She asked, gesturing to the mirrors and the charred stone tables.

Erebus gently pushed Indira's mirror back towards her and shook her head. The mirror faded away, disappearing back into Indira's torso. "Don't worry about the tables."

Elysion returned the second mirror to the other girl. "Let's just get out of here before any teachers or anything get here."

Aether nodded, "Okay." Meanwhile, all of the students' eyes were glued on the trio of Sailor Soldiers.

As color began to come back into the two victim's faces, Erebus glanced nervously between the other sailors and the door of the school. "Let's go," she said firmly, and took off for the bushes they had transformed in before, the other two bounded after her.

Only after they were completely out of sight did they halt. The three girls stood panting in the silence.

"I have to thank you guys for saving me the other day," Sailor Aether said calmly, still panting a little, "but it sure is nice to sort of know what's going on."

Erebus shot a sharp glance at Elysion, who just ignored her and giggled. "There's a lot more to fill you in on," Elysion said, "but we need to get back to school so we're not marked truant. You guys should stop by my house some time and I can introduce you to Pegasus!"

Aether giggled but Erebus didn't. The three released their sailor powers and their transformations faded away. Separately, they snuck back into school to finish the day.


	7. Chapter 7 Trio

Elysion 7

Charisse's Dreams

Charisse lay awake in bed, awaiting the buzz of her alarm clock, yet dreading it all the same. On the floor below her, she heard a door shut and a car rumble into motion for the second time that morning. "That must be Mom," she muttered and rolled over, opening her eyes, which stubbornly resisted. The glowing green numbers on her clock displayed "6:29." Moments later, the digits switched to '6:30,' accompanied by an persistent buzzing. Charisse quickly switched off the alarm and rose stiffly from bed.

By the time her two sisters groggily descended the stairs into the kitchen, Charisse had already washed, dressed, and started frying eggs for their breakfast.

"So Mom leaves for Russia today?" Malia asked as Charisse set a plate of friend eggs and toast in front of her. When Tacita nodded, she continued, "She said she'd be gone for around three weeks."

"The Russians don't seem eager to adjust their trade policy," Charisse agreed, sitting down with her own plate.

"I hope it goes well," Tacita added shakily.

The other two nodded in agreement and then dug into their food.

After breakfast, Charisse packed three bag lunches while her younger sisters finished readying themselves for school.

As they walked up the road to Elk Valley High, a cold gust of wind blew down from the mountains. They wrapped their jackets more closely around them, shivering.

"It'll be an early snow," Malia observed.

_'No matter what, it will be earlier than we're used to,' Tacita commented._

"I have to stay after today for debate practice," Charisse said, but neither of her cold and groggy sisters responded.

***

The strange winged eye, Zircon, fluttered past the trio of women lounging in the back of the dark circus tent, having a drink. It glided back around them a second time before disappearing behind a tent flap.

"That thing is weird," OrcaEye whined, sipping at her cyan-hued drink.

"Zirconia is probably spying on us, making sure we're doing our job," OspreyEye said, rolling her eyes.

LionEye, who was ignoring her drink in favor of the snapshots spread out on the bar in front of them, murmured her agreement. A moment later, she snatched a photo of sweet and intelligent looking blond girl. "This one looks promising!" she exclaimed, sounding pleased.

OspreyEye, in turn, snatched the picture from her.

"Hey!" the golden-haired woman exclaimed, trying and failing to reclaim the photograph.

"Hm," OspreyEye mused with a smirk as she held the photo out of LionEye's reach, "You only say that because you think she's cute."

"Well…" LionEye stammered and blushed.

OrcaEye shrugged, "Zirconia says that Queen Nehelenia is sure that it's in a girl. She might as well enjoy the cute girls. Though, even she could be wrong."

"That reminds me," OspreyEye said, lowering the picture, "Have either of you actually seen Nehelenia, the woman we're doing all of this for?"

"I spied on Zirconia once, when she was talking to her," LionEye admitted, "But all I could see in that mirror was her silhouette. She won't show her face, not even to Zirconia."

"Sometimes I wonder if she even is a real person," OspreyEye sighed.

"But we've got a job to do!" OrcaEye snapped suddenly, snatching the picture from her companion. "This girl does have potential though. She seems to be intelligent."

"Right!" LionEye jumped to her feet and moved towards OrcaEye to take the photo away, "I'll just be―"

"I'm going this time," she said firmly, "You two have already had a chance at it and failed. It's my turn."

"Fine," LionEye responded, glaring at the silver-haired woman, and returned to her seat.

Without another word, OrcaEye rose and departed.

"But if it is her, I get some of the credit for picking her out," LionEye called after her.

OrcaEye only laughed.

***

"Your essays on the themes of your independent reading books will be due next Monday. I will give you little other homework besides that, so I expect them to be done well," Mr. Fellsley concluded, gazing sternly over all of the students seated before him. "The last half hour of class will be yours to work on your essays. I don't want to see math, history, or any other kind of homework out. You know my policy on that. Now, get busy." With that, Charisse's least favorite teacher returned to his desk and pulled out a stack of quizzes to correct from another one of his classes.

Charisse produced her copy of The Sun Also Risesfrom her backpack and opened her notebook to a blank page. Glancing first at Mr. Fellsley to make sure that he was not sternly surveying the classroom as he often did, Charisse met eyes with the girl sitting across the aisle from her: Amelia Bakhova. When the other blond girl smiled and nodded, the two quietly slid their desks together. A moment later, they were joined by the small, brunette Krista Young.

"Next Monday is our first debate meet, Charisse!" Krista whispered with unnecessary volume, or so Charisse thought. "Now we've got arguments to prepare and this stupid essay to write!"

"Now I'm glad you two didn't goad me into joining that with you this year," Amelia murmured as she raised her eyes from the notes she had already been jotting down from her book.

"You've got an easy one, Krista: Pride and Prejudice!" Charisse accused, fighting to keep her voice low, "The theme is practically spelled out in the title. I can hardly pick out the plot in The Sun Also Rises. Finding a theme seems impossible!"

"You've got five days to do it," Amelia reminded her calmly.

Krista scowled, "Even if we do great on these, you'll out-do us," she said, "You read War and Peaceand understood it!"

"Young, Trey, Bakhova," their teacher said sharply from the front of the room, "speak more quietly, or I will have to break you up!"

Krista rolled her eyes and hunched more closely to her desk, whispering, "I know you two love this subject, but I won't be sad to see it go at the end of the semester."

"Although I enjoy English, I'll be glad to get rid of _him_," Charisse said darkly and gestured to their teacher with the end of her pencil. She paged through her book, searching for a meaningful line that would spark in her an idea for the theme.

Amelia looked up from her copy of War and Peaceto nod slightly in agreement. "He's neither a good teacher nor a pleasant person."

Krista sighed and gazed hopelessly down at the blank piece of paper in front of her. "I can't put this off any longer…" she mumbled then dove into her work like Charisse and Amelia already had.

***

A blanket of gray clouds hung low overhead as it had for the last several days. Charisse shifted her uncomfortably heavy backpack on her shoulders as she and Krista walked home together after debate practice.

"I wish we could get Amelia to join," Charisse said absently, "I know she'd really enjoy it."

"She dreams of being our first female president," Krista said absently, "She could do it too."

"All the more reason for her to join the debate team," Charisse sighed, "Amelia is smart, pretty, and hard-working. She could do just about anything she wanted to. I envy her sometimes."

"Don't get yourself down, Charisse," Krista encouraged brightly, "You could do just about anything you wanted to. Besides, you're still a much better flutist than her."

Charisse laughed, "Yes! The one thing I can do better than Amelia! Although," she added darkly, "Carly still plays better than both of us combined."

"I can't argue with that, I'm afraid," Krista laughed too. After a pause, she asked, "But what do you want to do with your life?"

"I don't know really," Charisse shrugged, "I'm still trying to decide on the college I want. Though, doing some service work overseas did sound appealing."

"You do like helping people, don't you?" Krista observed.

"What about you?" Charisse returned the question.

"Engineering always appealed to me, but it seems like a tough track to follow in college," she answered, shrugging. "If it turns out to be too much, I might find something else that I like better."

The pair finally rounded up in to Krista's driveway and Charisse asked, "Up to anything tonight?"

Krista smiled apologetically. "Yea. Tyler and I are going out to a movie. Sorry."

"It's okay," Charisse brushed it off but still felt a pang of envy. Her own boyfriend had dumped her when he heard that she was moving all the way up to Anchorage. She knew that maintaining a long-distance relationship would have been hard, but it was still a sore subject, and Krista knew that. "I'll just see you tomorrow then?"

"Bright and early in lit. class!" Krista said with faked enthusiasm.

Charisse again absently adjusted her backpack then continued along the sidewalk towards her own home, running over arguments for their upcoming debate in her head.

OrcaEye sneered and looked up from the photo of a peaceful-looking blond girl. "This one has big dreams and lots of knowledge in there. I'm sure to find something!" she mused confidently. She hid in the shadows of the covered bridge where she first encountered the Terran Soldiers. "Brats, all of them," she muttered, remembering their initial.

Just then, the very girl she was looking for crossed onto the bridge walking her dog. The circus performer's eye's narrowed. No one else was around; only her dog posed a potential problem. _Perhaps if I scared it away..._

The silver-haired woman stepped out of the shadows and placed herself in front of the girl. "Going anywhere, dear?" she asked menacingly.

Startled, the girl dropped her dog's leash while the wiry animal growled quietly. OrcaEye glared down at the dog, something passed between them, and the dog turn on its tail and ran, whining. "Russel!" the girl called after it, "Come! Heel!" When the normally obedient dog made no response, she turned on the scantily-clad woman and demanded nervously, "Who are you and what do you want?"

OrcaEye cackled. "I am OrcaEye of the Amazoness Trio," she began with a smile, as she slowly advanced on the girl, "but that isn't what's important. I hear you're a big dreamer, and a smart one at that. Mind if I have a look inside?" She gestured to the girl's chest.

The girl frantically crossed her arms over her chest and asked, eyes growing wide with fear, "What?"

OrcaEye snapped her fingers.

"One!"

When Charisse was nearly a block away from home, a familiar pointer raced around the corner in front of her and continued past. "Russel?" she wondered out loud. "I wonder what Amelia's dog is―"

A scream split through the air.

Charisse grasped the straps of her backpack to stabilize it then sprinted around the corner and ducked behind a tree. Peering around it, she tightened her jaw in anger. OrcaEye stood before a large red board to which Amelia was shackled, mirror floating in front of her. OrcaEye appeared to be admiring her work for a moment before proceeding.

Charisse did not waste a second. She flung down her backpack and pulled out her cell phone, dialing rapidly. It rang only once before Malia picked it up.

"Hello?" Malia asked casually.

"OrcaEye has Amelia just around the corner on Elm Street, by the bridge!" Charisse explained tersely.

If the call took Malia by surprise, she did not show it in her voice. "Right," she answered firmly, "we'll be right there."

Charisse hung up even before her younger sisters could and stowed the phone while simultaneously fishing out transformation sphere. Holding it up to the sky, she called, "Hemera Terran Power, Makeup!"

A few moments later, she was sprinting down the street as Sailor Hemera. "Hold it right there, OrcaEye!" she said firmly, coming to a stop.

"Who?" The pale, blue-clad woman asked, "Oh, it's you again."

"I'm Sailor Hemera, and don't you forget it!" she announced, "I won't forgive you for attacking such a sweet, ambitious girl like Amelia. Get away from her!"

OrcaEye forced a light smile, saying, "Not until I have my fun. I have some dreams to attend to." With that, she grasped both edges of the dream mirror and plunged her head into it. Amelia broke into painful screams.

"Amelia!" Sailor Hemera exclaimed and lunged forward, but hands grasped her arms and held her back.

"She'll live," her youngest sister's voice said from behind her, "It hurts to have your innermost dreams scrutinized so closely."

Sailor Hemera relaxed and looked back between her two sisters. "Phlegethon! Cocytus!" she exclaimed happily.

"We came as quickly as we could," Phlegethon said while Amelia's screams still echoed down the street.

"Maybe we can corner her and get her to tell us what she's really after," Cocytus suggested.

"They can just disappear into thin air," Hemera pointed out.

"It's worth a try," Cocytus shrugged just as Amelia's screams ceased.

OrcaEye withdrew her head from the mirror, scowling. "Nothing," she muttered to herself, "Not a thing!" With a snap of her fingers, the red board disappeared and Amelia collapsed to the ground, dream mirror still floating above her. The woman pivoted to face Hemera again but staggered back defensively when she saw not one but three Sailor Soldiers. She groaned, quickly hiding her surprise, "All three of you now? I shall leave my Remle―"

Before she could finish, the girls sprung into action. Phlegethon and Cocytus leaped into the air and landed behind OrcaEye, surrounding her. Hemera commanded, "Hold it right there!"

"Why should I?" the circus performer taunted, but was clearly unnerved.

"Because," Sailor Phlegethon began, striding forward to rest the end of her staff on OrcaEye's neck, "We want to know why you're attacking these people."

"Don't try anything," Cocytus warned.

She chuckled nervously, "I don't have much choice, do I?" When the three girls continued to stared menacingly at her, not saying a word, she reluctantly explained, "We want to get our hands on an ancient secret that our mistress Nehelenia desperately wants so that she can return to her former glory. It is kept into the dreams of someone."

"In the dreams?" Hemera demanded, with a glance to her fallen friend.

"That's where dream mirrors come in, but don't ask me," OrcaEye answered, sliding away from Sailor Phlegethon, "Zirconia won't even tell us details like that."

"In the dreams..." Cocytus pondered quietly.

Suddenly, OrcaEye lunged out of Sailor Phlegethon's reach and cried, "Remless! Come forth!" Before the creature could materialize from her shadow, OrcaEye flipped backwards and disappeared into a portal of silver water swirling in the air behind her.

"No!" Sailor Hemera and Cocytus cried.

The creature that rose out of OrcaEye's shadow looked something like a bizarre trapeze artist with poor taste in color. It giggled evilly as it surveyed the three sailor soldiers, "Want to play with me?"

"Not a chance!" Sailor Phlegethon growled. Reacting quickly, she lunged forward then struck the creature hard across the head with the end of her staff. It screamed and staggered away, towards the oldest sister.

"Hemera Pining Affections!" Pink and yellow glowing hearts flew in all directions from Hemera's hands, eventually gathering together in a spiral that struck the circus creature squarely in the chest.

The creature shrieked and shattered into thousands of mirror shards. The shards themselves quickly dissolved in the sunlight, leaving no evidence that the Remless had even existed.

"That went quickly," Phlegethon observed, pleased.

"You got a new attack!" Cocytus exclaimed. "How did it happen?"

"It just," Hemera began, thinking for a moment, "did."

Phlegethon laughed, "Well, at least we know what they want now."

Hemera let her transformation fade away as she became Charisse Trey once again. "Would you two find Russel and bring him to Amelia's house?" she asked, "I'll make sure Amelia gets home safely."

"Righty-o captain," Sailor Phlegethon said with a joking salute as her own Sailor outfit faded away.

Already back to being deaf Tacita, the middle sister asked, now stumbling over words, "Which way did he go?"

"Back that way," Charisse pointed. As the other two set off purposefully, she returned to Amelia and gently pushed her dream mirror back inside of her. Color immediately returned to her face.

Amelia groaned and stiffly sat up. Seeing Charisse next to her, she asked shakily, "What happened?"

"Something must have jumped out and scared you. You fainted," Charisse lied.

Accepting her friend's help to stand, Amelia said, "I hardly remember any of it. I'm just glad that you found me."

"Me too. I'd hate to see you lie here for long," she agreed. "If you let me get my backpack," she began, returning to where she had dropped her things, "I'll walk you home to make sure you're okay."

"Thanks," Amelia said and smiled.

"No problem! Anything for a friend like you, Amelia," Charisse answered. _I'll never let them attack my friends again!_


	8. Chapter 8 Quartet

Bring the Storm

Damia returned to her room after breakfast to finish getting ready for school. Pegasus had not yet appeared, but Damia felt confident that he would. Not a morning went by that he didn't wish her well before school. After dressing, she paced aimlessly about her room, slowly plaiting her hair into a long French braid down her back.

There was a twinkling noise and Damia spun excitedly around to see Pegasus staring at her from his chalice. "When you do your hair like that, you look more and more like the Lady of Elysion," Pegasus sighed, almost sadly.

"A friend from your past?" Damia asked; her arms bent awkwardly behind her head as she braided.

Pegasus nodded and replied softly, "Yes. A very close friend." He remained pensively silent for quite some time.

Having finished braiding, Damia broke the silence, "There's been no sign of those Sahara boys for a couple of days now. What do you think they're up to?"

"Probably arguing," Pegasus scoffed, and then added, "They might be looking for the perfect target and the perfect time to attack. Though, they haven't been known to bother with such subtleties."

"Now you said they're looking for the Golden Crystal inside Dream Mirrors, but you didn't say how it got in there in the first place," Damia observed as she plopped back down onto her bed again, "You said it was a treasure guarded in Elysion. Shouldn't it still be there?"

"It's because, ah...," he began but sheepishly turned his long white face away from her, "That, unfortunately, I cannot tell you."

"Why not?" Damia demanded. "Don't you trust me?"

"I do," he stammered, "But some knowledge is dangerous to know. I want you to safe. "

Damia pouted and stared out the window, away from Pegasus' chalice.

Feeling a little ashamed, Pegasus began, "Damia, I—"

Just then, the little silver sphere resting near Pegasus' chalice caught her attention. It flashed brilliantly in the early morning light. She gingerly picked it up and closed her eyes, letting the vision wash over her. The girl she saw had dark black hair tied back into a ponytail, and, as the image came into focus she immediately recognized the girl's intense blue eyes. "Indira," she breathed.

"It looks like it's time again," Pegasus said. "Is this Indira a friend of yours?"

"Not really a friend," Damia answered, "Indira is a year ahead of me and sort of a loner, but she seems nice enough."

"I suspect this means there will be another attack today," he said, shaking his mane. "You should gather the other girls and seek her out as quickly as you can."

***

Althea reclined back on the library steps with her legs sprawled out unceremoniously on the cement stairs as Damia paced nearby. "You did tell Nerine that we were meeting at 1:30, didn't you?" Althea asked and yawned.

Fidgeting and glancing at her watch for the twentieth time that minute, Damia replied, "Yeah. She's already ten minutes late though." While being around Althea was still uncomfortable for Damia, over the last few days their relationship had improved inch by inch. They both grudgingly accepted that while they didn't need to be new best friends, they at least had to be civil enough to work together.

"I hope this is quick, Damia," Althea said as she twisted her ponytail again, "Chris and I were planning to go to an art show together."

"Oh, is Chris your boyfriend?" Damia asked, suddenly interested.

"No, you idiot, _she_ is one of my best friends," Althea snapped.

Just then, Nerine came panting up to the front of the library. "So sorry I'm late guys," she apologized quickly, "I totally lost track of time and then I couldn't find my bike lock, so I had to run here."

"We can see that," Althea murmured and then addressed Damia, "So are we going to have our little chat right here?"

Straightening up, Damia said, "I thought that we could go to one of those secluded back corners of the library. No one will be around to eavesdrop, especially if we keep quiet."

"Fine, let's go," Althea nodded. She grasped the railing and stood. Althea led the way for her two companions into the building, past the circulation desk and a pair of smiling librarians, and through the tall stacks of non-fiction to the back of the library.

The trio settled at a small round table near the back wall and Damia began by placing the silver sphere on the table and it rolled to a stop near Nerine.

"Another one?" Althea asked.

Nerine grasped it in her hands, then exclaimed, "It's Indira Thorson!"

"Shh!" both of her companions hushed her.

Taking it in her hand, Althea agreed quietly, "It really does look like her. Does this mean that this is hers, Damia?"

Damia nodded, "That's what your two did before I gave them to you, and it's the last of them. She's Sailor Nyx."

"Huh," Althea said, "I never would have guessed that. But it will good to have a full team."

"The plan is that we all go and find her today, give this to her, and explain our mission," Damia said, taking the transformation sphere from the table and placing it back into her pocket.

"I have that art show to go to with Chris, remember?" Althea reminded.

"Your boyfriend?" Nerine asked.

"No!" Althea exclaimed and slapped the table with both of her hands, "Chris is a girl!"

"Shh!"

"But this is really important, Althea. You've no idea what the stakes are," Damia argued.

After a pause, Althea answered dryly, "You're right, I don't. Do you? Care to enlighten us?"

"Yeah, we are your teammates after all," Nerine urged.

Damia swallowed and took a deep breath. Did she even know what was as stake? "Well, those circus boys, while annoying, do pose a real threat to people here. Without dream mirrors, I don't think people can actually live. Ignoring these guys as they search through and try to destroy dream mirrors would be knowingly letting them commit murder, because no one but us can stop them. Plus, since we're in their way, they'd really like to get rid of us to. This Golden Crystal they're looking for has some great power in it that could make them even more dangerous. I'm not sure exactly what yet, but we need to be worried about them," she explained, gaining momentum as she went.

"Damia, you haven't been attacked, but we have," Nerine pointed out, "and what that felt like, well, that's enough to motivate me to fight these little circus jerks."

Althea nodded, "I'm with you there Nerine. You need to let us know what you know, Damia. Keeping us in the dark about this fight isn't doing us any favors."

Damia lowered her eyes and nodded, "Yea, I'll do a better job of that."

"But that doesn't change that I'm going to that art show at the Greenleef Gallery with Chris as soon as we're done here. A promise is a promise," she said.

Damia clenched her teeth but couldn't find an argument, "But—"

"Right," Nerine interrupted, "So just Damia and I can go. We should be fine filling in Indira without you. Sometime in the next few days, I'm sure we can all four meet up for a while."

"Great," Althea said with a sly smile at Damia, "Is there anything else we need to go over then?"

Shaking her head, she said, "I can't think of anything."

"Only that," Nerine suggested, "Once Indira has joined us, we really should have a sleepover or something to get to know each other better. We go to the same school and all, but, you know…"

Damia smiled. "A Super-Special Sailor Meeting?"

"Right!" Nerine said and grinned back.

Even Althea cracked a slight smile, "This should be interesting." After a moment she rose from the table to pushed in the chair she had been sitting in. "I think I need to head off and meet Chris, but I'll see you two on Monday."

"See ya!" Nerine said, waving. The tall girl nodded in response and disappeared into the bookshelves.

"So," Damia started, "We should probably go find Indira."

"You think she's at home?" Nerine asked.

"It's as good a place as any to start," Damia answered. "I looked up her address before I left, and I think she doesn't live too far from here."

"Great! Let's get going!" Nerine said, jumping out of her chair. "I can't wait!"

***

Arriving in front a blue two-story house with white trim, Nerine and Damia didn't have to look far for Indira.

As the pair stood hesitantly on the sidewalk in front of the Thorson residence, Nerine suddenly pointed towards a tree to the right of the house. Not far up in its branches was a simple platform tree house. Lounging up in it was Indira herself. "Look!" Nerine declared triumphantly, "It's her!" Then, striding across the dandelion-dotted lawn ahead of Damia, she called, "Indira?" Damia hurried awkwardly after her.

Startled, Indira lowered the book she had been reading and peered down at the two girls approaching her tree. "Damia Devi and…" she began, looking over both of them.

"Nerine Chailyn," Nerine supplied.

"What are you two doing here? Selling Girl Scout cookies?" she asked, edging closer to the edge of the platform above them.

"Actually, no," Damia started slowly. "We, well, have a sort of team we'd like you to join."

"A team?" Indira asked, "I don't do sports."

"Not that sort of team," Damia stammered, "Could you come down to here and talk to us for a bit?"

"I'm in the middle of The Great Gatsby, you know," she said, but swung down over the edge of the platform and onto the rope ladder. Indira descended easily while one hand still held onto her book.

"Thanks for hearing us out, Indira. I know this is really random," Damia said as she and Nerine moved closer to the base of the tree.

"Whatever," Indira waved her off and shrugged. "You two have me curious."

"To get straight to the point," Damia started in a soft voice, "do you remember that crazy circus boy at lunch last week?"

Indira shuddered. "How could I not?" she murmured.

Wordlessly, Damia held out the small silver sphere to Indira. The older girl gingerly took it between her thumb and forefinger and held it up to her face. All of a sudden, her eyes widened. Glancing between Damia and Nerine, she gasped, "That wasn't you guys, was it?"

Damia nodded.

"And Althea," Nerine added.

"That's the team we want you to join," Damia explained

"I'd say that this is crazy. I don't have powers like that, but still..." Indira trailed off, shaking her head. She clenched the silver sphere tightly in her fist then said, "I don't know how, but I understand what I have to do. It's like, I have memories that I've never had before… but I can't quite see them."

Nerine nodded, "I've got those too."

Damia's thoughts involuntarily went to Pegasus. Tensing, she said, "I didn't realize you guys got those too."

Looking down at the book in her other hand, Indira laughed, "So much for Fitzgerald." Laughing again, she continued, "I can hardly believe this, but it seems so right. I'd have never guessed it was you guys either. Anyway, update me on what I have to know."

"Well, this… spirit, I guess, named Pegasus appeared to me and first gave me spheres like that for all four of us. He's been giving me advice since then," Damia explained, "and basically, the Dead Moon Circus is our enemy. They are looking for a Golden Crystal in Dream mirrors, which is what they pried out of you last week, only yours didn't have the crystal in it. These villains called the Dead Moon Circus want it, but I'm not sure what for, and—"

Suddenly, Damia's cell rang, causing her to jump. She quickly dug it out of her purse and flipped it open. "Hello?"

"Damia?" Althea's voice said quietly over the phone, "Get the hell over here. I just saw a funny-looking kid that has to be one of those Circus boys milling around the gallery. I'm sure he's after someone here."

Damia gasped, "You're sure?"

"I'm not taking any risks," she said quickly, "By the way, did you find Indira?"

"Yea, we're just—" Damia started but stopped short when she heard a scream in the background of Althea's phone.

"Oh shoot!" she cursed, "I've got to go!" With that, she abruptly hung up.

Damia gravely snapped her phone shut.

"What was that about?" Indira asked.

"We need to get to the Greenleef Gallery, now," she answered.

"Dead Moon Circus?" Nerine asked.

"Althea seems sure of it, and I heard someone scream just before she hung up," Damia answered.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Indira asked, "We can take my car. It's not far from here."

"You can drive?" Nerine asked while Damia asked over her, "You have a car?"

"Yes, hurry, let's go!" Indira said, rolling her eyes as she turned and ran for the garage.

As the three of them slid into the old black car and Indira started the engine, Damia asked, "Are you sure you're ready for this? I mean, we just gave that to you."

"Pshaw," Indira scoffed, "If I don't start now, when to I. And even if I can't get the hang of this Sailor power thing that you two have, I can fight with my hands and feet." With that, they were whizzing down the road. She added as they rounded a corner more quickly than her car could handle well, "besides, I don't want anyone else to have to go through what I did at their hands." She shuddered.

"Careful Indira!" Nerine squealed, "You don't want to get stopped for a ticket right now. That's the last thing we need."

"Cool it, I've got this under control," she retorted.

The three of them grimly waited as the car whizzed down the road. Damia and Nerine couldn't help but wonder if Althea could handle the enemy on her own for this long. Meanwhile Indira was caught up in the rush of anticipation for a good fight and a chance to use her new powers. In a few minutes, they were parked haphazardly outside of the gallery and sprinting towards the front entrance.

Once inside the door, they ducked inside the thankfully vacant women's restroom and transformed.

"Elysion Terran Power, Makeup!"

"Aether Terran Power, Makeup!"

Indira hardly hesitated. Tossing her silver sphere into the air above her, she yelled, "Nyx Terran Power, Makeup!" Deep blue lightning crackled around her but she wasn't afraid. She bathed in its power. Only moments later it faded away, leaving her in a new outfit feeling as if the lightning still coursed through her veins.

While she was anxious to get to the fight, Sailor Nyx paused a moment to marvel at herself in the mirror. Although she never though she'd see herself in a skirt of that length, she felt imposing in her uniform of blue, yellow, and silver. Along with the change of outfit, a long brassy staff had appeared in her hands. Despite the glass sphere on the top, it was very well balanced.

Sailor Aether, seeing her staring into the mirror, smiled and said, "I'm glad you joined us."

Damia pushed the bathroom door open and urged, "Let's go!" The trio of sailors ran out into the hallway and up the broad stairway to the second floor of the building where the glass-walled gallery sat.

Just inside, a panting and battered Sailor Erebus stood hunched over between a fallen girl with a dream mirror floating above her and yet another boy dressed for the circus. Erebus also kept herself between him and the collection of photographs displayed on the walls.

"We're here!" Sailor Aether announced as they skidded to a halt inside.

"Took you long enough," Erebus panted.

"Three more?" the circus boy, who sported green hair in a bowl cut and a tight unitard fitting for a trapeze artists, squeaked fearfully. "I could handle one, but not three…"

"Right, I'd like you guys to meet my new friend ParPar," Sailor Erebus said with a half smile. "He'd really like Chris's Dream Mirror, but I won't let him have it."

"I think that's a good cause. I'll join it," Sailor Nyx said and strode slowly over to Erebus, planting her staff on the ground with a sharp clack.

"I don't remember the others mentioning you," ParPar said, shuffling back slightly. "Who are you?"

"Sailor Nyx," she answered, "Here to bring the thunder."

The green circus-boy gulped but held his ground.

Sailor Aether and Sailor Elysion stepped into formation beside Nyx and Erebus. "And so now it's time for you to leave," Sailor Elysion said.

ParPar straightened up and let out a strangled laugh, "Fat chance. I have evidence to destroy!"

"I'm not letting you at Chris!" Erebus barked, but winced in pain.

"Right!" Aether agreed and jumped into action, "Moonlight Flash!"

Pale yellow light flashed across the gallery at ParPar, but in an instant he somersaulted out of the way and rolled right between their legs. He leaped to his feet right next to the girl's fallen form.

"Back off!" Erebus yelled, "Darkness Lifting Contradiction!"

Again he easily dodged the attack by diving at Erebus, and knocking her off her feet. She tumbled with a groan and a thud while he came up with a cackle next to the dream mirror.

Aether gasped and Damia hurried over to help Erebus up. Meanwhile, ParPar produced a heavy-looking blue sphere out of thin air and aimed it for the mirror.

In a flash, Sailor Nyx whirled her golden staff through the air and cracked the small boy squarely on the shoulder. He yelped and tumbled backwards, hitting the display wall behind him. The photographs mounted above him trembled and threatened to fall. Erebus lunged for them but teetered weakly, Aether and Elysion catching her. Before ParPar could recover, Sailor Nyx stepped over Chris and yelled, "Dark Thunderbolt Strike!" With a deafening crack of thunder, lightning leaped from the end of her weapon and exploded at ParPar.

He screamed and then moaned, rolling on the ground in pain. A long rip in his costume gaped open on his back, the edges blackened. "Leave now," Sailor Nyx said, "Or we will end your career."

"Not fun anymore," he moaned and uncurled. Reaching out for his blue sphere that he dropped when he had been struck, he said weakly, "We'll meet again, and I won't loose next time." In a flash of blue, he was gone.

"He didn't even call on one of those crazy circus monsters to help him," Sailor Erebus said, still hanging on to Sailor Elysion for support.

"Sailor Nyx," Aether began, wide-eyed.

"Hm?" she glanced back at her three teammates.

"That was amazing!" Aether exclaimed.

She cracked a slight smile, "That was fun."

The other three girls laughed. "I'm glad you guys came, especially you Sailor Nyx," Erebus said, "I wouldn't have lasted much longer. That kid is quick and, when he actually gets his act together, he can pack a lot of power."

"Hey, we're a team, you know," Elysion pointed out.

"Well, we should get that mirror back into Chris before people start getting curious," Erebus suggested.

"And loose these costumes," Nyx pointed out, "That would draw even more attention."

"How do you plan to explain looking like you were just beat up?" Elysion asked.

"I figure I could say that I fell down the stairs when I was running away," she said, shrugging.

"That's no way for the best runner in the school to behave," Elysion teased as her sailor uniform faded away, to be replaced by street clothes.

"Oh, can it," Erebus snapped, also fading out of her sailor guise. She knelt down next to her friend and gave the mirror a gentle push back into her. As Chris's body absorbed it, color and warmth immediately returned to her skin.

"And what about that char mark on the floor over there?" Nerine asked, pointing to the jagged black mark where Nyx had attacked ParPar.

"Um…" Damia stammered, "We just pretend we never noticed that?"

Althea laughed, "Works for me."

Chris moaned and stirred, meanwhile they heard movement in the hallway outside of the gallery.

"Maybe we should get out of here," Indira suggested, "Since we weren't here when this all started."

Damia nodded, "Right, let's go."

As Indira, Damia, and Nerine hurried away, Althea called, "Thanks so much guys! See you around!"

"I'll look forward to it," Indira called back.

Nerine paused at the top of the stairs and yelled to Althea in the gallery, "Enjoy the rest of the show!"

With that, they parted ways and soon life resumed as normal in the Greenleef Gallery. That is, except for the strange black mark in the front of the show room that no one could manage to explain.

***

"ParPar! Report!" Zirconia roared.

The tiny green-haired acrobat winced. "I—I failed," he wheezed as he groveled, "There was no crystal..."

"That is no excuse for leaving it untouched," Zirconia scolded, scowling.

Behind him in the darkness of the tent, he could hear biting laughter.

"Zirconia… there are four of them now," ParPar stammered. "And the fourth one, she's dangerous. She nearly killed me."

"You must never underestimate the enemy," Zirconia said gravely. "Or we will never see Queen Nehelenia's glorious return to power."

With that, the strange winged eye, Zircon, took into the air and fluttered out into the world, in search of another host of beautiful dreams.

8


	9. Chapter 9 Trio

Under the Big Top

Tacita and her friend Ashley picked their way across the lunch room, in search of an empty place to put themselves and their trays. Finally finding the end of one of the long tables vacant, the two girls quickly took their seats before anyone else could.

Ashley immediately began to pick unenthusiastically at the macaroni casserole on her tray. "If I wasn't hungry, I wouldn't eat this," she murmured down at it.

"What?" Tacita asked her new-found shaky voice. Ashley, her homeroom teacher, and her sisters had been working tirelessly with her to practice speaking, now that she knew what it felt like to speak, thanks to her time as Sailor Cocytus.

Ashley blushed and looked up, "Sorry, I wasn't facing you. I just said that I wouldn't eat it if I wasn't hungry. Isn't it gross-looking?"

Tacita smiled, wishing she wasn't afraid of what her laughs might sound like, and scooped a heaping forkful of the casserole into her mouth. She swallowed then carefully responded, "But it tastes good."

Ashley made a sour face. "Bearable is a better word," she said. The two ate without conversation for a while, though it certainly wasn't quiet around them. Ashley understood that conversations were tough for Tacita, and she herself hadn't yet learned enough sign language to be able to help in any other way.

Suddenly, Ashley looked up, drawn by a noisy crowd gathered by the bulletin board just behind Tacita. Tacked on the crowded board was a large, glossy poster. Over the heads of the crowd she could see balloons and the peak of a strangely-shaped circus tent. Printed in bold letters across it all was 'Dead Moon Circus.'

"Look at that, I don't remember that being there yesterday," she said, pointing with her fork.

Tacita twisted around in her chair and peered through the crowd. The instant she glimpsed the title, however, she gasped and quickly turned back to her friend.

"I haven't seen a circus since I was a little kid!" Ashley said, grinning, "But don't you think 'Dead Moon Circus' is a strange name?"

Tacita nodded slowly, not returning Ashley's grin.

"But I'd like to go, if I can, anyway," she continued.

Tacita could feel the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. The name of the circus couldn't be a coincidence. No one sane would name their circus something ominous like that. She glanced over her shoulder again and saw the crowd begin to move away.

"Something bothering you?" Ashley asked when she had turned back. "Don't like clowns?"

Tacita just shrugged and shook her head. "I want to go look at the poster. I will be right back," she said, enunciating carefully.

Ashley nodded. "Find out when it will be," she said, and dug into her food again.

Tacita swung her legs over the stool and stepped over to the bulletin board. Even if she hadn't recognized the name 'Dead Moon Circus,' something about the poster struck her as wrong. It was somehow menacing, despite all the bright colors and balloons. Sure enough, show times started the next day and continued on indefinitely. _That's fishy too, _she thought. The tent was already set up in Anchorage ready to perform. She shuddered. _They can't just be bored. This has got to be some kind of trap. I have to tell Malia and Charisse as soon as I can._

As she continued to stare hard at the poster, trying to pick up any other hidden meanings, a brunette boy walked up behind her to see the poster as well. He took a step back in surprised. _It's the girl I saw in the hall last week! A circus? This might be my chance._

Acting bolder than he felt, he took a step forward and asked, "So you're interested in the circus?" The girl didn't respond at all, his heart sank. But then again, he reminded himself, the cafeteria was loud enough to drown out a voice as quiet as his. He stepped forward again and put his hand on the poster, and tried again, "Um, so…"

Tacita abruptly broke out of her trance when a hand suddenly covered up the information she had been trying to read. She turned her attention to the person standing next to her with a sharp glare.

The boy shuffled back in surprise. "Oh," he mumbled, "Were you reading that."

Tacita glanced back down at the poster where his hand had been, then said slowly, "I was reading that."

Her uneven voice startled him. He had expected a girl that looked like her to sound as beautiful as she looked. "I, um," he mumbled again and lowered his gaze to the floor, "Sorry."

Tacita took a deep breath and calmed herself. "I do not know what you are saying. Look at me when you talk," she said. _Was he saying something important before? Does he know something about the circus?_

"What?" he asked.

Tacita shrugged and pointed casually to one ear. "I am deaf," she explained.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know," he mumbled quickly, then caught himself. "I saw you looking at that poster," he continued slowly and clearly, fighting the urge to look down and avoid her wide green eyes, "Are you interested in the circus?"

Tacita nodded slowly. "Are you?" she asked.

"Yea, sure," he said, his heart beating loud in his ears, "I haven't been to one for a long time, so I thought it would be fun to go."

Tacita nodded and said nothing, glancing again at the poster out of the corner of her eye. A few more students gathered around to take a look, but she refused to be pushed away from her place.

"I—," he started, "I'm Michel Corbin." He extended his hand towards her.

The shadow of the circus still heavy on her mind, Tacita put a smile on her face and shook his hand. "My name is Tacita Trey."

"You're new here, right?" Michel asked, gaining confidence.

"We moved her a few months ago," she answered.

"That's why I'd never seen you before," he said, scanning the poster over Tacita's shoulder. "Where did you live before?"

"In another part of Anchorage," Tacita answered. The smile on her face now was actually genuine. Except for Ashley, no one else here at Elk Valley had even tried to befriend her. Most people, it seemed, thought that there was no way they could talk to a deaf person.

"Well, I know we've just met and all," Michel said as he wrung his hands behind his back, "But do you want to go to the circus together?"

Tacita quickly considered his invitation while breaking into a crimson blush. It would be dangerous for anyone to go, and she didn't know what to expect from the Dead Moon Circus crew yet. But at the same time, she didn't want to lose Michel's friendship before she'd even made it.

"Sure," she answered at last, "When?"

"How about," he said and cast a glance over the poster again, "Tomorrow at four?"

_There isn't time to check it out before then, but— _"Sure," she answered hesitantly.

Michel looked down at his watch. "I guessI need to get lunch quick before class again," he said quickly.

"You can sit with Ashley and me, if you want," Tacita offered, gesturing to the table just behind them.

"Okay," he said, grinning again, "I'll be right back." In a moment, he had disappeared into the cafeteria, leaving Tacita to sit down again.

"What was all that about?" Ashley demanded before she had even managed to settle into her seat again.

"He just asked me to go to the circus with him tomorrow," Tacita answered, suddenly feeling more surprised than she had felt before.

"What? I'm jealous," Ashley cooed, "It sounds like a date to me."

"A date?" Tacita exclaimed, blushing, "Of course not. I just met him now.'

"Don't deny it!" Ashley said, her eyes narrowed but dancing. "You'll have to tell me all about it. Both the circus and the date."

"Ashley!" she exclaimed, reflexively signing, '_that's not true.'_

A few moments later, Michel returned with tray full of casserole and sat down in the empty seat next to Tacita. He immediately introduced himself to Ashley, "I'm Michel."

***

As soon as they were all safely home that night, Tacita gathered them around the kitchen table and asked, _'Did you see that poster in the lunch room?'_

Charisse nodded gravely, "The Dead Moon Circus has gone public. This can't be good."

"I don't know what you guys think, but this definitely seems to be a trap," Malia said, signing along with her speech like Charisse to make sure Tacita didn't miss anything she said.

_'The shows start tomorrow,'_ Tacita signed, then started to speak, with some effort, "So there is not much time."

"I'm glad they start soon, actually," Malia said, "It would be much easier for us to get in and investigate while pretending to go see the show than sneak in on our own. I'm sure they're watching for us."

"What makes you say that?" Charisse asked.

"They know we know who they are and that we've shown up around this area before," Malia explained, "I bet they expect us to know that it's them and expect us to check it out."

"It could be a trap for us, not just for everyone else!" Tacita exclaimed as fast as her clumsy speech would allow.

Charisse nodded. "I bet you're right," she agreed. "So we have to be very careful. We can't waste any time in going though. I don't want to riskregular getting attacked. We might have to go to every show just to protect them, and that raises our risk of getting caught if we can't stop them right away."

"I wonder if there's an outside way to get them shut down," Malia mused, "Like legally."

"You can look into that," Charisse said quickly. "Maybe there's something we can do to get them in trouble. We've got to find their weaknesses or see if they're breaking any laws."

"If they are attacking people at the shows," Tacita said, "That is definitely against the law."

"But afterward, no one remembers they were attacked," Malia said with a shudder. "We have to take a video or photos or something. And then, who would believe us? I'm sure the cops would laugh at us for the kind of magic they're using."

"At any rate, we do need to get there as soon as possible," Charisse reminded them, "Do either of you remember what it said about when the first show is?"

Tacita nodded, suddenly remembering her promise. "Four, tomorrow afternoon," she answered, "But a boy I met today invited me to go along with him to that show."

"A date?" Charisse grinned at her and gave her a gentle shove. Tacita blushed and averted her eyes.

"But then she can hardly sneak away from her friend or tell him what we're up to," Malia said and sighed in frustration. "What'll we do now?"

"Well, it doesn't take three of us to spy," Charisse pointed out. "In fact, it might be better to have fewer. Tacita could be in danger because she couldn't hear people sneaking up on her anyway. The two of us can look around during the first half of the show and then we can meet up at intermission to talk about what we found, if nothing in the big tent has happened yet, that is."

"If they do try something funny right away, we have to fight them," Tacita said firmly.

"Of course," Charisse agreed and nodded.

"How about the bathrooms as a place to meet?" Malia suggested. She broke a smile and then signed, '_And who's going to over-hear us if we don't say anything at all?'_

Tacita smiled. '_For once,'_ she replied,_ 'this will come in handy.'_

***

"So," LionEye drawled as she sipped on martini in their dimly-lit lounge, "I don't suppose we need these pictures any more, do we, now that Zirconia's grand plan is in swing?"

"No harm in keeping them around though," OspreyEye argued. "Maybe she'll still send us out on mirror-snatching errands on off days. That is, if we don't come up with the Secret Keeper right off the bat with this ploy."

"Even if not," OrcaEye said with a laugh as she filtered through the photos on the bar in front of her, "Some of the boys in the photos have pretty faces. I wouldn't mind looking at them without having to attack."

"You know what would be great?" OspreyEye asked.

"What?" LionEye responded, not because she was actually interested but out of boredom.

"If the Golden Crystal turned up here too," OspreyEye answered, her eyes gleaming ambitiously.

"But Zirconia seemed sure that it would turn up somewhere far from here; 'Ill noise' or something like that," OrcaEye argued.

"Illinois," LionEye interjected.

OspreyEye shrugged, "I'm not saying that I think it's here, but maybe she could be wrong and we'll get lucky."

"Don't say that loud enough that she or that bat-eyeball of hers, Zircon, can hear you," LionEye scolded.

"Just think though, we'd be done with this stupid show and Zirconia wouldn't have reason to order us around anymore," OspreyEye said. "I don't know about you two ladies, but I would certainly enjoy some freedom. Why do we have to answer to Zirconia and that mysterious Nehelenia anyway?"

"Because I hold the key to your lives," Zirconia's raspy voice boomed throughout the bar lounge.

All three immediately stiffened up.

"And what else could you three do?" the voice rasped again, seeming to come from nowhere and yet everywhere.

"Zirconia, I didn't mean," OspreyEye stammered meekly.

"I don't care what you did or didn't mean," Zirconia roared. "All three of you stop being lazy. We have a lot to set up before our big show. We're expecting special visitors, remember. Now get working!"

The three circus women immediately rose to their feet and hurried for the door.

"Now I certainly am looking forward to the grand finale. That will be plenty of fun," OrcaEye murmured then broke in to peals of laughter. The other two joined her as they disappeared deeper into the darkness of the circus tent.

***

Tacita waited apprehensively in the shadow of the huge purple circus tent. She gazed up at its peaks and shuddered. How could no one else notice that it felt wrong, towering up into the gray sky. She shivered and pulled her coat more tightly around her. Even now winter was beginning to creep its way in. People, particularly young children, swarmed past her towards the gaping mouth of the circus tent. Not far away, a colorful clown passed out balloons to any children that passed close by. Most of the kids, however, shied nervously away from his balloons and painted face. _At least those kids have the right idea._ Although she didn't recognize the clown, he reminded her too much of the members of the Dead Moon Circus that she'd already had to fight. She couldn't help but wonder if the three of them were ready to take on a whole tent of those circus demons; and wonder if her two sisters, who were already poking around the tent, would be alright.

The show didn't start for another twenty minutes but the Treys always made a point of being early to things, today in particular. Apparently Michel wasn't that type of person. Tacita continued to watch the crowds flow into the tent, tension tying a knot in her stomach as she waited. Finally Michel arrived and hurried over to her.

"I'm so sorry," he quickly apologized, careful to make himself understandable to Tacita, "Have you been waiting long."

Tacita shrugged and smiled. "Not long," she responded.

"My mom was to busy and wouldn't drive me here until she finished what she was doing," he explained, flushing a little.

Tacita nodded.

"Well, should we go?" he asked, "I got us really good tickets."

Tacita smiled, "That is great!" _It puts us so much closer to danger too…_

Michel hesitated for a moment then grasped her hand, pulling her along towards the tent at a fast walk. Grinning he turned back to her and said, "I can't wait for this!"

"The show will begin in five minutes. Please take your seats," a surprisingly pleasant voice sounded throughout the tent. Both Charisse and Malia jumped and looked nervously around them. Only a few other audience members milled around them by the animal pens that were not far from the entrance of the tent. They could see very little by the dim lamps; only the restless shapes of animals and an occasional handler walking among them.

"We should probably head back to our seats," Malia suggested, wishing that they didn't have to.

"We don't want to miss the show," Charisse agreed while she signed, _I wish there was a way we could keep looking. We haven't found anything yet._

_But we'd be too conspicuous,_ Malia argued. Still nervously glancing around, something caught her eye. At the back of the animal pens, a figure passed through a tent flap and out of sight. A dim red glow silhouetted the figure for a moment before the flap dropped closed again, the eerie light seeping out around the edges.

"Let's go," Charisse urged and gave Malia a gentle push on the back.

Malia wanted to protest but knew it would do them no good she moved along with her sister. She jabbed Charisse in the side with her elbow to get her attention then signed, _I saw something strange: red light in a room beyond the animal pens._

Charisse's eyes narrowed but she said, "I can't wait for the show to start!" while signing, _we'll check it out during intermission. I don't dare leave the show while it's running._

Michel did manage to get good seats. He and Tacita watched the show from the second row in the center section. Here there was no place to hide and transform, no bleachers to hide under. If it came to fighting, which she had no doubt it would, she would have to run out to a more private place first. Her heart nearly stopped with fear when the lights dropped.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we proudly present the Dead Moon Circus!" the announcer boomed, and the lights came up again on a troupe of sequin-covered acrobats. Tacita let out the breath she didn't even know she'd been holding and relaxed a little back into her seat.

The tumblers gave way to trapeze artists, tight-rope walkers, and then a choreographed trampoline act. That was followed by two strong men, clowns, and jugglers.

Tacita couldn't help but being totally caught up in the show. Dazzling lights on the bright costumes left white spots on her vision. Everything was perfectly executed to the point that she wondered if these performers were even human. Somehow, even the clowns that had made her uneasy before seemed much less daunting as they paraded before her with their painted smiles. She laughed, gasped, and applauded in earnest with Michel and the rest of the audience, nearly forgetting the danger. When the last of the jugglers disappeared and the lights came up again, Tacita could hardly believe that it was intermission already.

"That was amazing!" Michel burst out, positively beaming. "I don't remember the circus I saw as I kid being this good."

Tacita nodded enthusiastically. "I am so glad we came," she said with a grin.

Michel's smile warmed and his eyes danced, "Me too." After a moment, he asked over the roar of enthusiastic chatter, "Do you want some popcorn or cotton candy?"

"Sure," she said and nodded hesitantly. Feeling a twinge in her bladder, she remembered her promise to her sisters. "I need to go to the bathroom though," Tacita said, averting her eyes.

"Okay," Michel said, once Tacita had looked back at him again, "The line is probably pretty long, so I'll get the snacks and meet you back here then."

Tacita nodded. "Okay," she responded, stood, and hurried down the aisle towards the exit. Charisse and Malia were already lingering near the end of the line that stretched out into the tent hallway when Tacita arrived. She waved at them and smiled.

An ironic smile crossed Malia's face and she signed back, '_I hope you do not actually have to go to the bathroom. The toilets are no better than those plastic port-a-potty outhouses.'_

_'I guess I can wait,'_ Tacita signed back and both her sisters laughed, but all three moved into the line for an excuse for lingering. '_So, did you find anything,'_ Tacita asked, her face sobering up.

Malia's amber eyes darkened. '_Maybe,'_ she replied, '_There was some kind of room in the tent beyond the animal pens that was giving off really weird red light.'_

_'Did you check it out?'_ Tacita asked.

Both girls shook their heads and Charisse signed, '_Malia noticed it just as they asked everyone to take their seats.'_

Tacita gazed around her. Very few of the purple-suited ushers lingered nearby. '_Is there time now?'_

Charisse checked her watch and bit her lip. '_Hardly enough to be careful.'_

_'But they are definitely going to try something before this show is up. Why put on a circus otherwise. I hate running into this blind to what is coming,' _Malia signed in exasperation.

_'I agree, we cannot just sit around and wait for them to attack,'_ Charisse responded.

After a moment of frustrated brooding amongst the chatter around them, Malia suggested, '_What if I don't go back to the second half with you guys and try to sneak back there when no one is looking?'_

_'But that is dangerous!'_ Tacita protested

_'If I find something out, it would make this whole situation a lot less dangerous,'_ Malia argued. '_I am small and quick. I'll come back as soon as I find something out or discover it is a dead end.'_

_'I do not like that idea either, but I think that is our best option right now,'_ Charisse conceded.

_'I'll stand just inside the big top entrance if I need you guys to come,'_ Malia suggested, '_That will be my signal.'_

_'And we will watch for you and not get too caught up in the show,'_ Charisse signed with a hesitant nod.

_'That first half was really amazing though,'_ Tacita signed wistfully.

Charisse nodded slowly, '_I actually enjoyed myself. And you know, I feel kind of guilty about it.'_

_'Well, if that is settled,'_ Malia signed quickly, '_I will head off. Cross your fingers I find something.'_ With that, Malia bobbed and darted out of line and through the milling crowds to where she and Charisse had been before. Both her older sisters couldn't help but feel the weight of dread in their stomachs as her bouncing red ponytail disappeared from sight. By that time, the two of them were nearly at the bathroom door. They both stared off into the crowd, searching for nothing in particular and yet something to reassure them.

"So how is your friend Michel?" Charisse finally asked out loud as she signed to ease the tension.

_'He is nice enough. He went to buy some snacks when I came here,'_ she answered.

Charisse grinned at her, "Do you like him?"

_'Well,'_ Tacita responded, blushing, '_I can hardly say yet. It is hard to talk with him because he mumbles and forgets to look at me, but he seems like he would be a good friend.'_

"Sure," Charisse teased and winked at her younger sister, "I'm sure that's all you think."

Just then, the pleasant voice boomed through the circus tent again, "The show will begin again in five minutes. Please return to your seats."

Charisse glanced ahead at the line and sighed. "Think you can hold it?" she asked.

Tacita grudgingly shrugged. '_Malia said that they were nasty anyway.'_

Michel rushed back to his seat with is arms full of popcorn and cotton candy just as the lights began to fall, stumbling over the feet of other people in their row. "Want some cotton candy?" he asked but it was too dark for Tacita to see his lips move. Without waiting for her answer, he handed the back of sticky pink fluff to her.

A moment later a voice boomed, "Welcome back to the Dead Moon Circus!"

The lights came back up and the second half of the show began with another acrobat and trapeze artist routine full of heart-stopping tumbles that were always caught just in the nick of time. Tacita almost let herself get caught up in it again, but this time she remembered her mission and the danger they were all in.

Before the lingering audience members returned to their seats and she would seem out of place, Malia slipped beneath the fence surrounding the animal cages and crawled behind a large crate when no one was looking. Thankful that she'd thought to wear dark clothing that morning, she sat still as a statue and let her eyes adjust to the dim light. Soon the chatter and footsteps faded away as everyone returned to the big top, and Malia was left alone with the animals.

She heard thunderous cheers and applause when the show resumed and breathed a sigh of relief that the audience was still safe, at least for the moment. _We don't know when they'll strike, so I don't have any time to lose._ She took a deep breath then crept as quietly as she could behind two more crates then darted for a near-by bear cage. She glanced pleadingly up at the huge animal, but thankfully, it took no notice of her. She had only one more cage and a large horse pen between here and where she had seen the red light earlier. The pen was filled with elaborately dressed white horses but its fence provided little cover. She could only hope that the anxious movements of the horses would disguise her own passing if anyone happened to come by. For now, however, the coast was clear.

Crouching, she slowly eased her way towards the last cage. _It won't do me any good if I startle the animals,_ she thought grimly. When she reached the cover of the cage, she found a large tiger staring right at her through the bars and two more pacing agitatedly behind it. He started unblinkingly at her with a low rumble in his throat. _Oh please, oh please, oh please…_

Suddenly, the tent flap swung wide open, casting eerie red light over the horses and their sparkling feathers and bangles. The tiger shifted his attention from her and to the three figures that passed through the flap as well. Too stunned from their appearance, Malia scolded herself for not trying to get a better look at what was beyond the tent flap before it swung shut again. Malia didn't dare poke her head out from behind the cage to get a better look at them for fear of being seen herself.

"So we're up next?" one woman asked, her voice was a bit high and nasally.

"No, after the pony show," another woman corrected in a slightly lower harsh voice.

The third woman's voice was much lower than the other two, with silky sweetness. "I enjoy that Zirconia assigned us the most dangerous animals," she said, "It will be an excellent challenge."

Malia stifled a gasp. Those voices, without a doubt, belonged to OrcaEye, OspreyEye, and LionEye.

"Especially since we haven't been given time to practice," the first woman, OrcaEye, said bitterly. "I would have appreciated more warning."

"Think of this as the first practice of many," the third woman, LionEye, said smoothly, "We'll keep doing this until the Secret Keeper is found."

"What I don't understand is," the second woman, OspreyEye, said, "Why bother to go through all this glitz and tumbling while we could just as easily take a peek at all their mirrors at the beginning of the show and send them all home."

"But we wouldn't get people coming back for later shows if no one has anything to say about the performance. Dazzle them, and we'll have a full house of dream mirrors every night," LionEye said just as red light cast over the area again and a troupe of performers stumbled in.

"Hurry up and get those horses out there, you clowns," OspreyEye growled at them.

The incoming performers chattered softly together with cackling voices. Somehow, Malia couldn't understand a word they said. _Are the foreigners?_ She wondered and hoped that they weren't saying anything important. She wanted to move back to the crates for cover while the horses were making enough noise to hide her retreat, and yet she didn't want to miss anything the Amazoness Trio had to say. She bit her lip hesitantly but remained where she was.

"So do you think they'll actually come?" OspreyEye asked.

"I certainly hope so," OrcaEye replied.

"If they have half a brain between the three of them, I'm sure they will, if they're not already here tonight," LionEye replied.

"And all we have to do is get them shoved through one of those mirrors and they're all ours," OspreyEye said and let out a shrill laugh.

A sharp gasp escaped Malia's mouth and she cringed, hoping that no one heard her above the noise of the horses and their handlers. _They're talking about us! There's definitely a trap too. I have to warn the other two!_

The last of the horses filed out of the pen and Malia found herself disturbingly exposed. All of the horses disappeared behind another tent flap she hadn't noticed before, but this one didn't give off the eerie red light the other had. She shifted slowly back away from the empty horse pen and farther behind the shelter of the tiger cage.

"Well, our grand finale should bait them out if they're here, that's for sure," OrcaEye said, laughing nasally.

"I really hope they don't disappoint us," OspreyEye agreed, chuckling too.

"Well, now that those ponies are out of the way, let's get the beasts ready to go out. OspreyEye, you're first with the bear," LionEye ordered.

Malia's heard leaped into her throat. If she didn't move now, she'd certainly be found.

"Who put you in charge?" OspreyEye demanded.

Hoping all three were sufficiently distracted, Malia darted back to the bear cage and held her breath.

"No one," LionEye retorted, "But I was actually listening when Zirconia was assigning jobs for the show."

Malia relaxed a bit. She had not been discovered.

"Hey, I knew what's going on," OrcaEye interjected. "I'm on the monkeys after you."

"Oh well then," OspreyEye snapped. "Anything else I should know?"

Seizing the moment, she made a hunched sprint for the closest crate.

LionEye laughed maliciously. "I guess you'll find out out on the floor, won't you?" she replied.

Malia sped along behind the crates as quietly as she could then, seeing the coast was clear, slipped beneath the barrier and back out of the animal enclosure. Not quite safe yet, she slipped into the bathroom for an alibi and did relieve herself in earnest before returning to the big top.

After the acrobats came a dazzling pony show and Malia still hadn't returned to her seat next to Charisse. The white horses trotted in complex formations while acrobats danced and flipped on top of and between them. She could hardly believe that the performers could do such stunts without falling and breaking something or getting trampled. Again she was reminded of the almost inhuman perfection that left her both awed and unsettled.

Charisse glanced again towards the doorway nearest her; they had chosen aisle seats as close to a door as they could get. She shifted restlessly and let out a long sigh then turned back to the show. Seemingly an instant later, the pony show wrapped up, and Malia dropped back into her seat. Startled out the trance that the circus put her in, Charisse stared at her wide-eyed.

_'Head to the bathroom and transform now,'_ Malia signed and didn't explain any more. In stead, she grabbed her older sister's arm and pulled her from her seat and back down the aisle towards the door. They didn't need to wait for Tacita. She had already seen Malia return and scampered after them, leaving a bewildered Michel behind her.

As they pushed through the tent flap and into the atrium again, they were met by two purple-clad ushers. One of them asked, not kindly, "Where are you three going in such a hurry?'

Malia's mouth hung open at a loss for words but Charisse quickly said with a moan, clutching her stomach, "I don't feel well. I think I might—" She cut off and covered her mouth faking a puking heave.

The ushers stepped back in disgust.

"You going to be okay?" Malia recovered and asked then put an arm across Charisse's back and hurried her two the bathroom.

Tacita hurried after them, but paused for a moment and turned to the ushers. "Too much cotton candy, I think," she explained as steadily as she could manage.

Once safely in the bathroom again, Malia quickly explained, '_They're waiting to attack until the Grand Finale, whatever that is. It should be after the tiger show, I think.'_

_'Which is how many from now?'_ Charisse asked.

_'Two,' _Malia answered, '_After the bear, there should be monkeys and then tigers.'_

_'I could have sworn that was OspreyEye with that huge bear just as we left,' _Tacita signed, her face wrapped up in worry.

_'So, I think they're going to go after the whole audience at once,'_ Malia explained, '_And they expect us to be here. They've set some kind of trap for us involving mirrors. Whatever you do, don't get close to any mirrors big enough to get pushed into. With all the other performers as their minions, we'll be vastly outnumbered.'_

_'So we have to stop them before they even get started. There's too many dream mirrors for us to protect if they take them all out at once,' _Charisse pointed out.

_'What if we're part of the show ourselves?' _Tacita suggested with a sly smile.

_'Girl, I like the way you think,'_ Charisse replied, a smile broadening on her face.

Michel began to worry when two acts passed by and Tacita had not yet returned. Even the entrancingly choreographed tiger act couldn't hold his attention well. He fidgeted and shifted in his seat, absently crunching on the popcorn kernels that remained at the bottom of the bag. Finally, he couldn't stand it anymore and slipped down the row of people, much to protests of those whose views he momentarily blocked, and hurried up the aisle towards the doors.

Two ushers blocked his way. "Sorry, you can't leave the big top now," one said, "The grand finale is about to begin."

"But my girlfr—my friend, she—" he stammered above the blaring music.

The second one stepped firmly between him and the door way. "Please return to your seat," he said, far from politely.

He thought, for a fleeting moment, of forcing his way past them, but both ushers were much taller and stronger than he was, so he turned and walked dejectedly back up the aisle. Just then the tigers were led out of the ring and out of sight and the two other animal tamers joined the tiger tamer in the center of the ring and struck dramatic and somewhat enticing poses. Suddenly, huge plate mirrors rose out of circus floor around them in a star-like shape. As he traveled down the aisle, from angle he could see many reflections of the three women and from other angles, he couldn't see them at all. The intense tiger music morphed into something more mysterious and Middle-Eastern while the three slender performers began to dance and flip in coordinated acrobatics among the maze of mirrors.

Unable to take his eyes off of them, Michel pushed passed the other audience members, who were too entranced to complain, and took his seat again. Sometimes they moved quickly and other times painstakingly slow, but soon he couldn't tell the difference between the real women and their reflections.

Suddenly, the music intensified and the performers stepped out of the maze of mirrors and each struck a triumphant pose with one hand in the air. Meanwhile their reflections danced on in all of the mirrors behind them. From where they stood encircling the mirrors, they yelled in unison, bringing their hands down into a snap, "One!" Their voices boomed throughout the tent.

Dimly, Michel noticed the sudden appearance of large red boards ringing behind every row of seats.

"Two!" They extended their arms outwards towards the audience. The appearance of shackles around his ankles and wrists attaching him to the board behind him was enough, however, to break Michel out of his trance. He yelped and struggled against them. Gasps, screams, and whispers broke out all throughout the circus tent.

Too soon and out of rhythm with the performers, three younger voices called out, "Three!" Suddenly, three girls in pleated skirts and sailor collars flipped down from the upper seating balcony and landed gracefully in front of the three dancers. One of the newly arrived young women looked strangely familiar to Michel, but he knew that he didn't know any circus performers. All three of the older performers drew back as if in surprise and broke out of their poses. The music stopped.

_There goes the easy part,_ Sailor Phlegethon thought grimly.

"Let's dance," Sailor Hemera said with a smile.

The Amazoness Trio cackled, their laughter reverberating off the mirrors and echoing through the tent.

"Gladly," LionEye said, returning Hemera's smile, and the music resumed, this time a more intense melody.

Acrobatics and dancing were no trouble for cheerleader Hemera or Phlegethon, who had dabbled in jazz dancing, but moving in time to music of any sort was completely foreign to Sailor Cocytus, even now that she could hear. As planned, the three girls ran circles around their enemies, performing occasional twirls, cartwheels, or flips on Hemera's lead. All the while, the Amazoness Trio performed its own counter dance. They constantly tried to get outside of Hemera, Cocytus, and Phlegethon and drive them closer to the mirrors, occasionally attempting to seize their gloved hands and force them to spin towards the trap mirrors. Somehow, they always managed to escape, but each time their margin got narrower and narrower.

The Sailor Soldiers struggled to keep their part in the performance look as effortless and coordinately as they could without giving the audience any clue that it was actually a battle of agility. Their opponents, though this was clearly improvised, acted in perfect synchronization. As for performing, the sailors were clearly outmatched, but they knew about the traps, something the circus performers weren't aware of. They wouldn't be lured close to the mirrors as unknowingly.

Breaking a sweat and her head beginning to spin, Cocytus wanted to pause for a moment and search the audience for Michel to see if he was alright and how he was handling being shackled in place, but she knew to stop could be the end of this battle.

The Amazoness Trio suddenly seemed to change tactics on them. They somersaulted into the maze of mirrors and mingled with their dancing reflections. The sisters completed anther circuit around the star of mirrors but their adversaries did not emerge.

Sailor Phlegethon, exhausted by their acrobatics while having to carry her heavy iron staff, finally halted and broke formation. "Phlegethon Firestorm!" she cried and raised her staff into the air. Tongues of flame exploded from the smoky cloud emitting from the end of the staff.

Realizing their younger sister had stopped, Cocytus and Hemera immediately planted their feet and planted their feet and pivoted towards the mirrors.

"Hemera Pining Affections!"

"Sky Shower Shatter!"

In a brilliant flash of red, blue, and yellow, all the mirrors crashed and shattered around the Amazoness Trio and fell tinkling to the ground. The sailors danced back out of the way of flying shards but the Amazoness Trio were not so lucky. Standing in the middle of the shining rubble, all three were covered in tiny gashes and their clothing was snagged and ripped. The audience might not yet be able to see the damage, but blood would be flowing in abundance soon.

Sailor Phlegethon noted with relief that none of the glass had even flown as far as she and her sisters, much less into the audience. It had all dropped neatly to the ground around the Amazoness Trio. _If any had hit someone in the audience, that would be enough for a lawsuit… but you know, that's exactly the sort of evidence we need that this place is unsafe!_

The Amazoness Trio, however, had finally lost their coordinated calm with the destruction of their trap.

"This is war," LionEye growled just loud enough for the three sisters to hear her.

"Fine! I'll play that game," Sailor Phlegethon responded before any of them could make a move. "Phlegethon Volcanic Ground Split" As her staff struck the ground, her sisters struck mirroring poses to complement her 'performance' and a vein of shifting ground shot towards LionEye, OrcaEye, and OspreyEye, erupting in volcanic flames at their feet. Between the shaking ground and blazing heat, the three performers struggled to keep from screaming and fell to their hands and knees into the shattered mirror glass around them.

"Remle_—_"OrcaEye began through clenched teeth, but OspreyEye smacked her sharply on the arm.

"We can't turn this into an all-out battle!" OspreyEye hissed. "If this gets dangerous, we'll never get people at our performances again and it will ruin Zirconia's plans."

LionEye rose shakily to her feet and her two companions followed suit. "You may have put us off for now, but don't think you can get away with this again," she said in a low voice with feline glares at all three of the sailors, who couldn't help the victorious smiles that were spreading on their faces.

The golden-haired woman snapped her fingers and a swirling portal into darkness appeared above her head. In perfect coordination, OspreyEye and OrcaEye snapped as well and their own portals appeared, then all three flipped backwards into them and disappeared.

A gasp of rippled through the audience and the red boards and shackles disappeared as suddenly as they appeared.

Phlegethon, Hemera, and Cocytus found themselves in a bright spotlight, thousands of dazzling mirror shards behind them. Sailor Cocytus grinned and struck a pose. On either side of her, her sisters posed as well, laughing a little, almost in disbelief at their absolute success.

Thunderous applause, cheers, and whistles erupted from the audience. Cocytus felt her grin broadening as she caught sight of Michel standing in the second row, clapping enthusiastically. The overwhelming sound of it all was almost too much for Cocytus to bear, but she celebrated in it and dreaded letting her hearing go again.

"Sides and back," Hemera hissed through a toothy smile. At first, Cocytus didn't understand what she meant, but when her two sisters turned to their right and struck another pose, she understood. Twice more they turned and basked in the applause of the hundreds of people they had just saved. Of course, they were just applauding a good show and had no idea of the significance behind the final act.

Finally, the lights dropped, and the three sisters sprinted for the bleachers and vaulted into the seating area, shedding their transformations as they ran. They just barely managed to make it to safety before the house lights came back up and Tacita returned to her world of silence. All three breathed a sigh of relief. Already, a horde of strange looking figures dressed in users' uniforms gathered around the shattered mirrors. While some swept the shards into pails, many others scanned the departing audience warily.

"That was a great show," Malia said with a laugh.

"The ending was particularly amazing," Charisse agreed and winked at her two younger sisters.

Grinning, Tacita nodded emphatically.

"Though you should go find your date," Charisse reminded Tacita, getting a rosy blush out of her, "He's probably worried about you disappearing on him suddenly like that."

"How are you going to explain that to him?" Malia asked, suddenly concerned.

_'I'll come up with something,' _she signed back with a smile and a shrug then hurried off into the crowd.

Charisse and Malia met eyes and broke into delirious, relieved peals of laughter.

Michel, torn between enthusiasm for a great show and worry for Tacita's disappearance, lingered near his seat as the other audience members filed out. When he had finally made up his mind to brave the crowds and go searching for her in stead of hanging back and waiting, he caught sight of her long indigo hair bobbing down through the crowds toward him. "Tacita!" he called in relief, waiving wildly to her.

Tacita responded with a shy smile and a small wave of one hand and hurried towards him. "I am so sorry for—" she said slowly and shakily, inwardly cursing for how awkward her voice must sound now that she couldn't hear herself.

"Where did you go off to? Are you okay?" Michel interrupted, reaching out and impulsively taking one of her hands between his two.

Flicking a surprised glance down at her hand, rosy pink spread across her face again. Feigning calm, she lied, "I started to feel sick, like I might throw up."

"Oh, why didn't you tell me?" Michel asked, concern in his eyes. "Are you alright now? I tried to go find you, but they wouldn't let me out of here."

A sense of gilt built in the pit of her stomach. Tacita began to wish she didn't have to lie to Michel. She nodded and added with a hesitant smile, "When I started to feel better they had already locked they doors and wouldn't let me back in. I guess I had a little too much cotton candy."

Michel released her hands with a laugh and picked up the mostly empty cotton candy bag that Tacita had left behind her. "I guess this stuff is pretty strong," he said then added enthusiastically, "But you really did miss the best part of the show. There were trained monkeys and tigers and then this sort of dance-off with a bunch of mirrors. The special effects were amazing!"

"I guess I will have to come again to see the end," Tacita replied as they began to follow the crowd out of the seats. _I'll definitely be back here again, that's for sure._

When they were out into the aisle and Tacita could see Michel again, he hesitantly suggested, "How about next Saturday again, and then we can do dinner afterward?"

Tacita avoided his warm gaze and stared down at her feet while they walked. "I think I am free," she responded slowly. "Sure."

Michel's tentative smile widened into a genuine one. "Alright. I can't wait," he said and subtly reached his hand out and took hers.

Tacita knew she had never blushed this much in one day before, but again found her cheeks growing hot. She turned to Michel and smiled, "This was fun."

***

"Amazoness Trio!" Zirconia roared, "One more spectacular failure like that and you will cease to exist."

"But you said no out-right fighting, so what were we supposed to—" OspreyEye argued from where she knelt with LionEye and OrcaEye, trembling.

"Don't give me excuses!" Zirconia yelled, and Zircon's flame at the end of her staff blazed brighter with her anger. "You are my elite. I expect far better from you. You have brains, don't you?"

OrcaEye flinched. "Zirconia, we beg for your forgiveness," she pleaded.

"My forgiveness is not enough," Zirconia seethed, "And I doubt Queen Nehelenia will be willing to forgive you for this blunder unless you get something right soon."

"We will find that Secret Keeper and catch those Sailor Soldiers," LionEye said firmly. She did not quaver like her two companions.

"You had better," Zirconia spat, "or your lives are forfeit. I can have more minions like you created just as easily."

At this, even LionEye was taken aback. _"Minions like you created…" What's that supposed to mean?_

"And don't let me catch you slacking again!" Zirconia ordered. "Start preparing for the next show, and this time do a better job!"

"Yes Zirconia!" all three said and rose to their feet. With a salute they turned and retreated into the darkness.

"…created?" OrcaEye whispered, not to anyone in particular.

17


	10. Chapter 10 Quartet

Forgotten Dreams

Chapter 10

"Damia, I'm not so sure about this," Pegasus stammered from his chalice by her bedside.

Damia sat down on the edge of her bed and studied the tiny winged horse carefully. "You could have said something earlier, you know," she retorted. "I can't go and un-invite them now. Besides, they're the other Sailors. Why are you so worried anyway?"

"Well," he started, not meeting Damia's eyes, "I just…"

"It's not like anyone knows about you, and a lot of people probably wouldn't believe you exist even if I told them. I could hardly believe it at first," Damia argued. "But Indira, Althea, and Nerine believe me. They've got the transformation spheres you gave us and believe that you've been giving me advice on all this."

"Well, it's just that," Pegasus said, still avoiding her gaze, "I'd rather that people didn't know about me."

"So introducing yourself to me was just a necessary evil to find soldiers to protect you and your Elysion?" Damia demanded, suddenly offended. "Is that it?"

"No, no. That's not it at all," Pegasus replied quickly. Almost urgently, he continued, "I really wanted to find you. I searched all over for you. While I did, they stole my body, so I had to come find you like this. I'm too weak now without it and I'm afraid I'll be found."

"_They?_" Damia asked, "You mean the Dead Moon Circus? That's not your real body?"

Pegasus nodded regretfully then straightened up and stretched out his wings, "Were I able to fly free, you would see me the size of a horse." He paused, as if unsure to continue, "But this is only a manifestation of my spirit, since the Dead Moon Circus tried to capture me. In truth, I am a man."

"You're what?" Damia stammered in disbelief, "So I have a man, or the spirit of a man that looks like a winged horse living in my room? I certainly hope my mother doesn't ever find out."

Pegasus blushed and said quietly, "I hope so too."

Damia found herself at a sudden loss for words.

After a long silence, Pegasus finally said, "I really had hoped to meet you as my true self, but I made a mistake and was looking in the wrong place. I fell right into their trap. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry," Damia protested and locked his tiny amber eyes in her gaze, "I had no idea. And I promise you, we'll get your real body back."

"Damia, I—" he started, but the sound of feet thumping up the stairs stopped him. In an instant, he faded away and only a lifeless chalice remained on Damia's bedside table.

There was a quick knock at her door, and her little cousin Caya poked her head in. Damia sighed with relief at Pegasus' quick thinking. "Damia, you're friends are here!" she informed her, then turned and scurried back down the stairs. Damia swallowed and followed her down.

All three girls already waited in the entry way, Caya chatting happily at them, "I told her you're here and she said she'd be right down. I've never met you before. You must be new friends from school. I'm Caya."

"We're working on sort of a project together," Althea said.

"Oh, hey, I remember where I recognize you from," Caya suddenly exclaimed, pointing to Althea, "You're the fastest girl on the track team."

"I just won that one race," Althea mumbled, looking away from the tiny girl's bright green eyes.

Just then, Indira finally noticed Damia in her slow decent down the stairs. "There you are," she said.

"Hey guys," Damia said, suddenly finding her heart beating in her throat when she found all eyes on her. _I'm supposed to be the leader in all this…_ "Come on up to my room. We can chat up there," she invited awkwardly.

Damia's mother stuck her head in from the kitchen wearing a chocolate-splattered apron. "Sorry I didn't say so earlier, I was a little occupied," she said with a chuckle and gesturing to her apron, "but welcome. These brownies should be finished soon, so I'll bring you up a plate when they're done. Now you girls hurry on upstairs. I'm sure you've got lots of work to do."

Damia all but scurried out of their way up the stairway as her mother shooed the three other girls out of the entryway and up. They poured into her room after her while she hovered nervously in front of Helios's chalice. "Make yourselves comfortable," she invited as hospitably as she could, "Oh, Indira, could you close the door while you're over there?" With the door shut and everyone settling into place, she should have felt more at ease but didn't. Nerine had immediately plopped down on her bed, while Althea slouched on the window seat next to her violets and spider plant, and Indira took her place on Damia's desk chair. Damia herself finally sunk onto her bed next to Nerine, pushing the chalice forward on her nightstand.

"So that's what you've been talking about?" Nerine immediately caught sight of it.

"Um, yea," Damia stammered.

"Huh, interesting means of communication," Indira murmured, squinting and leaning closer for a better look.

"Pegasus, it's just us. It's safe," Damia coaxed, "You can come out now."

In a twinkling, the tiny figure of a winged horse now stood in a bubble of light at the top of the chalice. Nerine gasped while Indira drew in a sharp breath in surprise. Althea pretended to be unimpressed. Shooting Damia a nervous glance, he surveyed the room and the girls sitting around him. "You look like you've hardly changed a day since I saw you last," he finally said.

"Since you saw us last?" Indira echoed. "I don't have any memories of a winged horse at all. What do you mean by that?" she asked skeptically.

"I apologize," he said, lowering his head, "Perhaps I should start from the beginning." He glanced at Damia, looking for confidence, but she was hardly in any condition to reassure him. "My name is Pegasus. I am sure you have heard Damia speak of me. My home is Elysion, a centerpiece in the old Earth Kingdom, a green paradise inside the Earth. I am the priest of the shrine there. It still remains, hidden and nourished by dreams, but it is under attack by those that you now know as the Dead Moon Circus."

"So Elysion is kind of a real place then?" Althea asked, eying Damia.

Pegasus nodded.

"Then what about Erebus and Aether and Nyx?" she asked.

"They too were special, hidden places of the Earth Kingdom long ago, but Elysion was the centerpiece. Nyx, the vale of storms, and Erebus, the shadow canyon, were foreboding places were few people dared to venture, while Aether was a light and airy place, built of clouds. Those places, along with Phlegethon, the river of fire, Hemera, the valley of light, and Cocytus, the sea of secrets, held the Seven Shrines of the Earth," he replied, glowing nostalgia hung on his voice. "It was there that I knew you first, you four. You, along with three others, were the guardians of the Earth Kingdom, and of Elysion in particular. Its crystal wood and its mirror pools were unrivaled in beauty anywhere on this planet, having been founded on dreams."

"Wait," Althea interrupted, "You said there were three more then; Cocytus, Phlegethon, and Hemera, I assume. Are there three more now too?"

"Yes. I found them almost on accident before I found you," he replied. "In this life, they are three sisters, and they are now fighting a different front with the Dead Moon."

"Are they anywhere close to us? Can they help us out?" Nerine asked quickly before he could move on, "Or should we be helping them out?"

"I am ashamed to say that I do not know geography of this modern world very well, but I know where I found them was far north and west of here. The air was crisp and cold, and there were towering mountains everywhere, surrounding a sprawling city on a broad bay," he answered blushing a bit at his failings.

"It doesn't sound like anywhere I've been before," Damia murmured.

"Maybe somewhere in Canada," Althea suggested, then added, "Or even Russia! We'll have to look into that later on."

"Getting back on track, what can you tell us about the Dead Moon?" Indira asked, staring down at him. "It seems like we hardly know anything at all about the guys that we're fighting."

"I had heard rumor of a queen of the Dead Moon, a kingdom of the new moon that was somehow in the shadows or in the very depths of the moon itself, back during the age of the Silver Millennium and the Golden Kingdom, but I thought of it as no more than rumors," Pegasus explained, his eyes focused on something distant. "It was whispered that that queen had cursed the princess of the moon, predicting her death and the fall of her kingdom, but no one wanted to believe it. Even Queen Selenity, the queen of the moon and the Silver Millennium at that time, tried to argue that it was a lie.

"But now I know it's truer than any of us had feared in those days. Nehelenia is a terrible and beautiful queen who is after the beautiful dreams of this world's people. For what end, I don't yet know, but dreams are indeed powerful. She has not yet discovered how to enter Elysion herself, but it is bombarded from every angle. I know she also seeks the Golden Crystal, an item powerful enough to overthrow her if in the right hands. As the guardian and priest of Elysion, she had her minions capture me and has tried to force out of me the secrets of Elysion and the dreams it is built on."

"Captured?" Nerine asked, "Then you must have escaped?"

He shook his tiny equine head sadly, "What you see now is an illusion of me. My spirit has managed to escape, but they still have my body. The Dead Moon Circus may not yet know what I have done, but I am certain they will soon realize that part of me is gone. There is not much time if I am to be able to help you."

"How are we supposed to defeat them?" Althea asked, "Can you fight with us?"

"Not like this, I cannot," he said. "Even if I were free, I am only a priest, so battle is not my strong point, but I can lend you what little powers I have. You are the soldiers of the Earth while I am but a caretaker. Call my name and—"

Just then, Caya burst through Damia's bedroom door with a plate full of fragrant brownies. Pegasus' eyes widened, lashing his tail in panic. Instantly, before Caya caught sight of him, his green chalice returned to normal.

"Brownies!" Nerine exclaimed and bounced anxiously on the bed.

"Caya!" Damia blurted, glancing frantically between the chalice and her little cousin. "Try to remember to knock," she scolded.

Caya lowered her eyes and murmured her apologies.

"Aw, Damia, don't be so hard on her," Althea said and directed a warm smile at the young blue-haired girl. "Thanks for bringing us a snack, Caya." She rose and walked over to her then knelt down to Caya's level. "Those smell delicious. Your mom must be a good cook," she said, taking one from the plate.

Caya, who's smile ebbed back a moment before to Althea's encouragements, looked away again, lower lip quivering.

"Caya is my cousin," Damia quickly interjected, and then just as swiftly added, "Those do smell delicious. It looks like there's enough on that plate for everyone to have a couple. Caya, why don't you give one to Indira and Nerine too? They look hungry."

"Okay," Caya nodded, gaining confidence again. While Althea gingerly returned to the desk chair, Caya shuffled around the room distributing brownies. Once all of the girls had one in her hand, or mouth, Caya flopped down onto the carpet and set the plate on the floor between them all, taking one brownie for each hand.

_Great, we can't talk to Pegasus with her in here._ Damia grimaced. Althea didn't seem to be bothered while Nerine was enjoying her brownie too much to care that they had been interrupted. Indira caught Damia's eye with an inquisitively raised eyebrow.

"Mmm!" Nerine said through a full mouth, "These are amazing!"

"Yeah." Damia nodded and glanced to the chalice next to her again. Unlike Nerine or the other two girls, she did not reach down for a second or third brownie.

As Caya reached for her third, she asked, "What were you working on? Is it hard?"

"Um," Damia stammered.

"We were talking about some ancient history," Indira filled in for her. "I guess it's a little hard to understand because it was so long ago."

Damia couldn't help but crack a smile. Caya had no patience for history.

"Oh," Caya nodded, shoving the brownie into her mouth. As soon as she had swallowed, she announced, "I helped Aunt Laurie make them. I stirred it for three minutes."

"Good job, then," Nerine giggled.

Damia found herself staring at where Pegasus had been. Directing her attention back to reality, she added, "You always are such a good helper, Caya. Though, I bet Aunt Laurie needs some more help downstairs now."

"Okay," she bounded to her feet, "I can do it!" In a moment she had scurried from the room. The door hung ajar behind her.

Damia breathed a sigh of relief and walked over to the door to push it shut.

"What was that all about?" Althea asked, snatching up the last brownie.

"What was what all about?" Damia asked as she sunk back onto the bed.

"She's your cousin?" Althea clarified.

"Right, that," Damia sighed. "Her parents died when she was three years old and she's been living with us ever since. Her memories of them aren't very clear, but she still really misses them."

"That's so sad," Nerine murmured.

"I had no idea," Althea nodded slowly, "You really should be easier on her then, Damia."

"But as long as she was in here, we couldn't talk to Pegasus," Damia argued, "Coming in like that without knocking; Pegasus could have been seen."

"She's just a kid though," Althea said, "She probably wouldn't have thought he was anything suspicious if she saw him."

"But what if she told Mom about him?" Damia demanded, voice rising nervously

"What didn't happen isn't worth arguing about," Indira cut them off, giving both a steely glare that dared them to continue. "Pegasus?" she called.

He twinkled back into view on the nightstand. "Erm, yes," he began, "where were we?"

His question was met by only the ticking of the clock.

"Right, now I remember," he continued slowly, "I want to help you four in whatever ways I can, but there isn't much I can do. I can lend you what power I have, just call upon my name and I'll be there."

"And you can hear us from anywhere?" Althea asked, toying with her ponytail.

Pegasus tossed his head in an equine nod. "I will be listening for your call."

"You know, what I'd like to hear more about is the past, since we have the time," Indira commented, looking out the window rather than at Pegasus. She sighed, then shifted her gaze back towards him. "This whole 'Sailor Soldier' thing is completely new me; kinda like Superman, only real. The idea that not only do I have these powers I can't explain, that I also had a past life in some ancient time is almost too much to wrap my mind around. I don't know about you guys."

Althea nodded and surveyed the three other girls and tiny horse. "Sometimes this is almost as scary as it is exciting. It's surreal."

"But I wouldn't want to give this up, ever," Nerine piped in. "We've got these powers and people need our help. And besides, having magic powers like this is really cool, you guys have to admit."

Althea cracked a smile while Indira and Damia giggled quietly.

"I never thought there were actual bad guys out there like this Dead Moon Circus, or that powers like this were possible, or that I'd meet a winged horse," Damia laughed, "It's crazy, but now, it's life."

"You four ladies are taking to this far better than I could hope," Pegasus nickered softly.

"So," Indira reminded, "About our past lives."

"To be plain," Pegasus began slowly, "I did not see any of you very often. That is, except—" he paused, as if debating weather to continue, then met Damia's eyes, "except the Lady of Elysion."

"You mean Damia?" Nerine asked, leaning closer with the eagerness of a child listening to her favorite fairytale.

"Yes." He cleared his throat and continued, "I was the Priest of Elysion and she its guardian, you see. You three had little reason to visit Elysion regularly, and I rarely had reason to leave."

"And that's why you found her first," Indira concluded, nodding.

Pegasus did not respond to her, but instead said, "I can tell you this: the Earth was a strong and prosperous kingdom in that age. The king ruled from a beautiful oasis near the North Pole. Beyond the earth, the other planets Sol System thrived under the rule of the Silver Millennium, under Queen Selenity of the Moon. The Sun Kingdom mirrored the beauty and power of the Earth and the Moon, however relations between the three were strained.

"While the other planets could easily accept the rule of Queen Selenity and the Moon, as it had been for eons, the people of Earth were not willing to submit to people of Earth's satellite. I never understood the details, but the Sun and Moon had been at odds since the time I was a child. History and politics were never my strength. If one wanted to know those things, they could go to the Priest of Cocytus. Eventually, the Earth attempted to cut off all communication with the Silver Millennium Kingdom.

"Despite all this, somehow Prince Endymion, heir of the Earth Kingdom, and Princess Serenity, heir to the Silver Millennium, met and fell in love. This only fueled the anger of the two peoples.

"Soon, a great and evil spirit calling itself Queen Metalia descended on the Earth. I remember the terrible visions and dreams I saw in those days," Pegasus paused, every feather of his wings shuddered. "I thought the end was near but did not want to truly believe it. You, the seven Elysion Soldiers, were hardly able to keep the secret kingdoms hidden and safe. In desperation, you evacuated as many people as were willing to leave, sealed the entrances, and I helped you hide away the key to returning to them until a safer time.

"I do not know if you made it to the palace before the Silver Millennium fell. It seems that, with her palace falling to ruins around, she used the last of her power to send what was left of the courts of her kingdom to a freer time in the future. By a surprising act of compassion, she seems to have sent us forward as well. I only just re-awakened from a deep sleep myself."

"You mean there's more people from the past on Earth today?" Damia asked.

Pegasus nodded. "I believe the other six priests have returned as well, and who knows how many other courtiers. We may never be able to recognize those of the past who had no special powers. Although, I assume you have heard of Sailor Moon?"

"That comic book hero from Japan?" Althea asked. Before Pegasus could even nod in response, her eyes lit up and she slapped her knee, laughing. "I can't believe I didn't realize it before! If I really am Sailor Erebus, Sailor Moon must really exist too. That's too big a coincidence. I'd always brushed her off as the Japanese Wonder Woman."

"Oh, right!" Nerine exclaimed, "I've heard of her too!"

Indira eyed them all evenly, making no comments. Damia's face was a mask of confusion.

"If she is, and her friends are, who I think they are," Pegasus said hesitantly, "I believe that she is the Princess Serenity of our era and her fellow soldiers are the princesses of the other planets. Although, I have never met them in this age or in the past."

"I wonder if they can help us," Damia thought out loud.

"From what I could glimpse from Elysion, they have been busy," he answered succinctly.

Indira glanced down at her watch and suddenly exclaimed, "Shoot, it's already 3:00. I promised my little brother I'd be at his hockey game at 3:30. I'd better get going."

"Three? Really?" Nerine gasped. "Could you drive me home, Indira, if you're heading that way?"

"Sure," Indira nodded and stood from the window seat. She turned to where Damia sat by Pegasus's chalice. "Damia, Pegasus, thanks. And thank your mom for the brownies. Sorry to rush off on you."

"Oh, that's okay," Damia waved her off as she and Nerine left the room and scurried down the stairs. Even as Nerine's hand grasped the doorknob, Pegasus faded away.

Only Althea and Damia remained in her room. "So," Althea stood up and said, "I guess I should go too. Thanks for this."

"You're welcome," Damia stammered, rising to meet her.

Althea scooped up the blue and white plate, now only full of scattered crumbs. She pinched some crumbs up off the plate and pressed them to her mouth before trusting the dish at Damia. "Thank your mom for me to," she said a she walked towards the stairs. "See you later."

"See ya," Damia said and waved with her free hand.

Althea descended a few steps, then grinned over her left shoulder, "We'll get those circus jerks!"

Damia found herself smiling back.

***

Eerie laughter resounded in throughout the dimness. Twisting and frolicking, strange shadows swung through the air and tumbled across the ground.

A tiny green-clad acrobat somersaulted seemingly out of nowhere onto a large trampoline. Bouncing, ParPar giggled, "Why would anyone want to be an adult? Kids have the most fun!"

All around him, a myriad of voices cackled, "Kids have the most fun!"

Cart-wheeling high above on a thin rope, NikNik added, "Kids don't have to worry about serious things."

Down below, a sudden burst of flame exploded from TouTou's mouth. "Kids can do whatever they want," he laughed. The redhead took a deep breath, ready to spout fire again, but was cut short by a blazing spotlight at the center of the tent.

AthoAtho balanced easily on one hand, coat tails and long blond hair cascading down to the floor. "And of course," he said and flipped back onto his feet, "they have the brightest dreams."

ParPar flipped off the trampoline and over to where AthoAtho stood while NikNik sprung from the tight-rope, seized a trapeze and tumbled to the circus floor, landing with little more effort than a cat. TouTou stalked over to join the other three Amazon boys. "And what makes you say that?" TouTou demanded.

"Kids have the whole future ahead of them," NikNik supplied.

"Adults always think things are impossible, but kids believe in their dreams," ParPar answered, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"Kids area always dreaming," AthoAtho added.

"So then why hasn't Zirconia assigned us to check out the dreams of any kids yet?" TouTou demanded.

"It's just been a bunch of middle school girls," ParPar whined and fidgeted with the streamers that hung from his hips. "They were no fun."

"That Sailor Elysion wasn't any fun either," NikNik murmured.

"Then I say we find some kids and check out their dreams ourselves," AthoAtho said, gesturing to the other three. "We don't need Zirconia to tell us what to do all the time."

"Let's do it!" TouTou grinned.

Just then something small whizzed between them and arched up towards the back of the tent. A hush fell over the four boys and the whole big-top. As it flew, they could make out batty wings and a tiny, flickering flame.

"Shoot," NikNik winced, "It's Zircon."

The winged eyeball perched somewhere up high and Zirconia's platform illuminated. Zirconia scowled down at them while Zircon fidgeted angrily from the top of her staff.

"Zirconia!" the Amazon Quartet exclaimed, with varying degrees of surprise in their voices. All four swept into low bows.

"What is this about you doing anything without me?" the wrinkled figure draped in a purple robe bellowed.

ParPar and NikNik flinched into even deeper bows while TouTou straightened up and began, "But Zirconia—"

"Silence!" Zirconia roared. TouTou's green eyes grew wide and he threw himself back into a bow. For a moment, a thick silence hung in the air. Zirconia chuckled softly, which soon grew into peals of laughter. Other laughing voices soon joined in, but Zirconia's sharp glare quickly silenced them. "I am impressed," She said. "I didn't think you could come up with a thought of your own like that."

All four boys relaxed and stood up, craning their necks to see Zirconia high above them.

"So, just this once, I'll let you try it," Zirconia said sweetly.

An excited squeal escaped ParPar's mouth, "Yay!"

AthoAtho dipped his head in a small bow, "Thank you Zirconia."

"Don't fail me!" Zirconia bellowed and, in a swirl of dark robes, was gone.

"I don't like how she comes and goes like that," ParPar complained.

Ignoring him, AthoAtho asked, "So what are we waiting for?"

"Let's go find some kids!" NikNik exclaimed and darted back into the dimness. The other three followed, laughing, after him.

***

"It's a beautiful fall day and Caya is looking bored. Why don't you take her to the park? You said yourself that you didn't have any homework to do this weekend," her mother suggested.

Damia would much rather have spent the remainder of Saturday afternoon curled up in her room recovering from and thinking over their meeting. With Pegasus.

But, her mother had other plans for Damia's day, and there was no saying 'no' to her.

Damia walked down the sidewalk hand in hand with Caya, who skipped along beside her. Her mother had been right. It really was a beautiful day. A brief Indian Summer brought a few days of warmth in the middle of a crisp, chilly autumn. While most leaves lay in dry piles raked up by her neighbors, quivering gold leaves still clung the towering aspen trees. One brilliantly red maple stood alone in a clump of mostly bare trees near the street corner.

"So you want go to the park near your daycare, Caya?" Damia asked.

The little girl nodded emphatically, "The one with the really big slide."

"Maybe some of your daycare friends will be there today too," she said, her mind elsewhere. _Pegasus had never mentioned so much about our past before. I had no idea. I wonder what it was like then? I wonder why I can't remember any of it? I guess I was a different me back then, but it was still me._

Caya tugged her back into reality. "Did you have fun with your friends today?" Caya inquired, "I like them."

"We did," Damia smiled down at Caya as they walked. "You know, we actually are—" she began but stopped herself. Caya was young enough to really believe in flying horses and magic powers, and yet, Damia couldn't share that secret with her little cousin. If there were things Pegasus wouldn't tell her to keep her safe, not telling Caya would be safer. It would be a fun secret to be able to share, though.

"You are what?" Caya asked. Her blue eyes were open wide with curiosity.

"Oh, nothing," Damia shrugged. "Never mind."

"What?" Caya persisted, whining.

"We are…" Damia stammered. She hated lying to Caya, "doing a project on magical animals like from fairy tales."

"Oh!" Caya squealed, "Which ones?"

"Things like unicorns and dragons," Damia lied.

"What about pegasuses?" Caya asked, "Those are my favorite."

Damia's heart skipped a beat. _Does Caya know?_ "Yea, we talked about a Pegasus for a while too," she answered as casually as she could. At the mention of his name, Damia found herself wanting to be back in her room again.

They turned the last corner and Caya immediately broke into a run.

"Slow down Caya!" Damia jogged after her and called, "Be careful!"

By the time Damia arrived at the colorful play structure, Caya stood at the top of the slide. Seeing her cousin arrive, she threw herself down the slide, giggling. Caya darted back up onto the play structure. She dashed and climbed from one end to the other and back again with cries of, "Damia! Watch me!"

Soon, she called Damia over to push her on the swings. Over and over she urged, "Higher! Higher!" Damia quickly found herself laughing along to Caya's giggles.

When Caya tired of the swings and scurried back to the play structure, Damia sunk onto a nearby bench to watch. Half of her wanted to climb up and join her cousin. The gravel playground was right next to a cheerfully painted daycare center. The fenced yard behind it had a small swing set inside it, but the daycare teachers would sometimes take groups of children out to the larger playground. Now was one of those times. Damia waved and smiled warmly at the teacher as she let the twelve children through the gate. The weekend crowd of daycare kids was much smaller than the weekdays when Caya went, only needing one teacher today.

Damia watched as Caya happily played with some of the other kids she knew. Appearing almost out of nowhere, she noticed four newcomers; four boys a few years older than Caya. The youngest of the four, with green hair, made straight for the trapeze bar next to the swings and began tumbling in twisting in ways she had never seen before. Another blue haired boy seemed to almost tumble through the air on the monkey bars. The blond one did careless cartwheels across the grass while the redhead scampered effortlessly up the sliding pole. As she watched Caya and the other children gape at them, a feeling of dread crept over her.

_They move like circus performers. The Dead Moon Circus!_

Damia stood up and hurried over to the playground. Thankfully, Caya had just slid down the slide and stood applauding the antics of the blue-haired boy. Damia grasped her hand and tugged. She said urgently, "Caya, it's time for us to go home now."

"But we just got here," Caya whined, still staring at the boy.

"Caya, now!" Damia snapped.

Caya snatched her hand back and stomped off through the gravel. "No!" she pouted, "I'm not done yet, and this is fun."

"Caya—!" Damia yelled, but it was already too late.

By the time she looked up again, their street clothes disappeared and the four boys wore the circus outfits that she knew all too well. Several of the children cheered and gasped at the rapid transformation. NikNik, AthoAtho, and ParPar swept down off the jungle gym and took deep bows, but TouTou slunk back behind the crowd of children. Suddenly, he lunged, flinging his red sphere into their midst.

"Red ball into the center pocket!" he cackled. The sphere shot through three children, reveling their pink dream mirrors. As they slumped to the gravely ground, their teacher screamed.

Damia tugged at Caya's had, but she wouldn't budge. Her eyes were wide and tiny mouth hung open. Damia released her and dashed towards a nearby lilac bush that hadn't yet lost all of its leaves, dialing on her cell phone as she went.

"Hello?"

"Althea!" Damia said urgently, "All four circus boys are at my cousin's daycare. They're attacking all the kids."

"You can't take all four by yourself!" Althea exclaimed.

"I know!" Damia hissed as she fished in her purse for her transformation sphere. "Get the others and get here as fast as you can. I'll keep them busy."

"Got it!" Althea said firmly and hung up.

With the crimson sphere in hand, she yelled, "Elysion Terran Power, Makeup!"

Moments later, as Sailor Elysion, she darted back to the playground. Another eight children lay collapsed in the gravel while three more tried to flee the attackers. A fourth cowered behind the teacher who was making a frantic phone call on her cell. She spotted Caya clambering up and over the play structure with ParPar close behind her. _There's no way she could out-climb him._

"Stop right there you circus brats!" Sailor Elysion ordered with more confidence than she felt. Surprisingly, all four stopped mid-step and mid-climb and stared at her.

"You again?" NikNik drawled.

"How do you guys always manage to show up so quickly?" TouTou demanded.

Caya and the other two children scampered back to their protective teacher.

"With justice on our side, we'll always be here to stop you," she boasted. "Leave these poor kids alone!"

"But children have the best dream," ParPar protested.

"And who are you to stop us?" AthoAtho threatened, "There's only one of you and four of us." Suddenly, both he and TouTou sprinted towards her while the two younger boys resumed pursuit of the children.

"Elysion Pure—!" She began but AthoAtho dove and knocked her feet out from underneath her. Before she could recover, a blast of fire from TouTou's mouth scorched her back. She screamed and reflexively curled into a ball.

Distantly, Damia could hear the teacher scream again, but her own pain overwhelmed her. She rolled over onto her back to put out the fire on her clothes, but was quickly punched in the stomach by AthoAtho. She gasped for air and struggled up to her hands and knees, but TouTou knocked her down again.

_I have to save those kids… _Sailor Elysion braced herself for the next attack and wheezed, "Pegasus… Pegasus, please help me."

"I'm here," a warm voice spoke in her head.

In a burst of light, a full-sized Pegasus appeared in the air above her. He whinnied angrily and the light around him blazed brighter. Both TouTou and AthoAtho stumbled back away from her. All at once, a warm sensation crept through Sailor Elysion, filling her with strength. She rose to her feet and yelled, "Elysion Crisis Melody!" Prismatic light rocketed out in all directions, stinging at each of the four Amazon boys. As they hissed and yelped, she glanced up at Pegasus and smiled. The burning pain receded. Pegasus nickered encouragingly in return.

Just then, Indira's car squealed to a stop in the nearby parking lot, and Sailor Erebus, Sailor Nyx, and Sailor Aether poured out. Aether skidded to a halt and stared in awe up at the sky where prismatic light danced around the winged horse. "Pegasus," she whispered wide-eyed.

Meanwhile, Nyx and Erebus ran straight to Sailor Elysion's side. "Are you okay?" Nyx asked, raising her staff protectively in front of them. The children scampered to comforting reach of their teacher. The four Amazon boys stood frozen, staring nervously up Pegasus.

Elysion nodded. "Thanks to Pegasus," she replied softly. "You guys got here just in time."

"One on one, these little twerps are tough," Erebus cautioned them in a low whisper, "But we don't really have another choice."

"With Pegasus here—" Elysion began encouragingly.

Sailor Aether caught sight of Caya cowering with the other children. She took a few slow steps in their direction and asked across the playground, "Is that your—?"

The frantic look in Sailor Elysion's eyes silenced her, but her question broke the moment of stillness. NikNik and ParPar darted towards the children again and AthoAtho and TouTou fearlessly threw themselves toward the cluster of three Sailor Soldiers.

"They may be fast, but so are we!" Sailor Erebus declared encouragingly. "Elysion, go left, I'll split right, and Nyx, you power down on them from the front."

"Let's roll," Nyx said with a slow smile then charged forward yelling ferociously. Elysion and Erebus darted in tight arcs around the two boys.

"Dark Thunderbolt Strike!" lightning lashed at their noses. Both AthoAtho and TouTou yelped and fell back.

Sailor Elysion and Sailor Erebus fell into position and Elysion yelled, "Now!"

"Darkness Lifting Contradiction!"

"Dark Thunderbolt Strike!"

"Pure Energy Force!"

As the gray swirls, blue lightning, and bright green light struck them, AthoAtho and TouTou screamed and collapsed panting onto the grass.

"Had enough yet?" Sailor Erebus asked mockingly.

"Bring it on," TouTou growled as he pulled himself up off the ground.

All of a sudden, a boxy white van with the letters "CNN" emblazoned on the side squealed around the corner and skidded to a stop in front of the park. An excited but obviously nervous news crew poured out and set up on the lawn. The four sailors and their adversaries were too wrapped up in their fight to notice, however.

"Get away from those kids," Sailor Aether said boldly as she ran to intercept NikNik and ParPar. "Moonlight Flash!" She clapped her hands together in front of her and silvery blue light enveloped the two Amazon boys. They yelped and stumbled, giving Sailor Aether to get between them and the children. She glanced over her shoulder and smiled warmly, "Don't worry, I've got you guys now."

"Thanks," The young white-faced teacher managed to murmur.

"Do you now?" NikNik taunted. Both he and ParPar held up open palms, and blue spheres instantly materialized in their hands; dark blue for ParPar and sky blue for NikNik. In one deft, swirling motion, both boys spun together and launched the balls towards her.

Aether nearly bolted away, but remembered the cowering people behind her and held her ground. The spheres racing towards her, she stammered, "Moonlight Flash!"

As if having a mind of their own, the blue spheres swerved around the light of her attack and arched back towards her. Her eyes widened and she stood rooted in the gravel. _I can't run, but—_

The light blue sphere ran right through her chest and her dream mirror spun out while she collapsed screaming. Her screams cut off and instantly later as the second ball smashed into the pink rimmed mirror that floated above her. The teacher screamed and the children squealed. The mirror shards rained down all around her. Color drained out of her face and her breathing became shallow and ragged.

NikNik and ParPar giggled and walked slowly towards them as their spheres returned to their outstretched hands.

"Help!" Caya screamed, "Sailors!"

"Sailor Aether!" Elysion shrieked, momentarily distracted. AthoAtho slammed into her and the two of them tumbled to the ground.

"Pegasus!" Sailor Nyx called, raising her staff towards him.

"Guardian of Nyx," he replied calmly and gazed down on her.

Indira felt warmth rush over her. She spun her staff slowly over her head, growing faster and faster until it whirred. "Nyx Tempest!" she screamed. White hot lightning erupted from the storm cloud that had gathered above her head. It lashed out at AthoAtho, who still rolled entangled with Sailor Elysion, TouTou, and all the way to ParPar on the other side of the play structure. They all, including Elysion, screamed and fell to the ground.

"Lady Elysion!" Pegasus whinnied urgently. "Are you alright?"

NikNik caught and diffused the lightning with his sphere then continued towards where Sailor Aether lay limply in front of her charges.

_Nerine stood in the middle of a crystalline forest dressed in a flowing gown of sky blue satin. "Where am I? What just happened? I thought I was..." she said aloud. Her voice echoed eerily._

"_This is Elysion," Pegasus' voice sounded from behind her._

_She turned around to face him. Somehow, he looked far more regal here than he did in Damia's chalice or hovering above their battle. "Elysion," she echoed, "It's beautiful."_

"_During your days as the guardian of Aether, it was even more beautiful," he replied._

_Suddenly, like a wave rushing over her, memories flooded back; memories of another life she could hardly believe she'd had. "I..." she stammered, "It was." She sighed deeply and tried to make sense of all the thoughts that flooded into her mind. Then a more recent pressed itself to the front of her mind. "But what about the others? Why am I here?" she asked urgently, "I need to get back to save those kids!"_

"_Your dreams were shattered by NikNik and ParPar," Pegasus explained, "No one can go on living without their dreams, but I caught your dreams here before they escaped."_

"_Then, I'm dead?" Nerine asked._

"_Not quite," he shook his head, "But I can help you return to yourself. Come here and touch the golden horn on my forehead."_

"_I..." Nerine stammered but whatever she had started to stay escaped her. She approached him and gently placed her hands on his crystalline horn._

Golden light flashed all around Sailor Aether's body. NikNik stumbled backwards, shielding his eyes.

"Aether Echo Reverberation!" she yelled.

When the sky blue ripples closed in on NikNik, he screamed and tripped over ParPar. Both lay groaning on the ground.

"Sailor Aether!" Elysion and Erebus chorused together in relief.

"This is more than we can handle for now," TouTou growled, "But don't think you've beat us for good!"

All four disappeared in bright flashes of light.

The children, the teacher, the news crew, and the crowd that had gathered around them erupted in cheers. Caya and several other children wrapped Sailor Aether in hugs.

Pegasus tossed his mane anxiously and disappeared. The crowd gasped.

Sailor Nyx offered her free hand to Elysion. Groaning, she stiffly rose to her feet, "Was that really necessary? For a second there, I thought that I might die, but then..."

A brunette woman with a microphone hesitantly approached them across the grass.

"Great, CNN," Sailor Erebus said under her breath as Aether freed herself from the kids and jogged over to them. "Let's get out of here, guys."

Nyx cracked a smile, "Well fought. See you on the other side of this."

All four bounded off in separate directions, leaving a stunned crowd to cheer or murmur excitedly amongst themselves. Sailor Elysion retreated to the same clump of lilac bushes and shed her transformation. She peered out, pretending to have been there all along, then burst out onto the lawn.

"Caya!" she called as she ran towards the playground, "Oh my god! Are you okay?"

"Damia!" her little cousin yelled back and scurried over to meet her.

Panting, Damia brought Caya into a tight hug. "I was so worried," she said quietly, "Are you and your friends all okay?"

Caya nodded and took a step backwards. Suddenly, she grinned and exclaimed, "That was so cool!"

Damia giggled.

"Excuse me, I'm Anne Triston from CNN news," the brunette reporter began, all of a sudden right next to them, "Would you care to comment on what just happened?"

"Well, there was—" Damia began awkwardly.

"There were these four boys that were really good at tricks, but it turns out they were the bad guys. Then Sailor Elysion, Sailor Nyx, Sailor Erebus, and Sailor Aether came with their Pegasus and saved us. It was so cool!" Caya gushed without pausing to take a breath.

"Were you at all scared?" the woman asked.

Out of the corner of her eye, Damia spotted Indira slipping alone into her car. _I hope no one took down her license plate number..._

"No," Caya said proudly, then reconsidered, "Well, maybe a little bit, but I knew the Sailors would save us."

"Well, there you have it," the reporter said, turning back to the camera, "What we saw here today was nothing short of miraculous. Who were these attackers and why did they attack this daycare? That is still a mystery, as are the identities of the children's young saviors. We will keep you updated as our investigations of this continue. This is Anne Triston, reporting live." She nodded her thanks to Damia and Caya then retreated back to her camera crew.

"Are you ready to go home now, Caya?" Damia asked.

"No!" Caya responded and shook her head vigorously. "I hardly had time to play at all."

Damia laughed, "Fine then, go play with your friends for a little while longer."

***

Mocking shrieks of laughter reverberated throughout the circus tent as the Amazon Quartet returned. Zirconia already loomed high above on her platform, glowering down at them. "Amazon Quartet!" she boomed.

While the other three cowered, AthoAtho stepped forward and spoke up, "We failed, Zirconia."

"You failed?" Zirconia roared, triggering more eerie taunts from the shadows, "It seems that all I can ever expect from you four jokes is failure!"

"But all four of the Sailors were there, and they had a pegasus helping them!" ParPar protested.

At this, Zirconia drew back thoughtfully. "A pegasus, you say?" Zirconia asked, "What did he look like?"

"Well," ParPar stammered, "He was big and white with a golden horn on top of his head."

"That sounds precisely like pegasus that escaped the Amazoness Trio a few weeks ago," Zirconia said smugly, "It appears that our quarry is very close indeed."

"What do you mean?" NikNik ventured.

"That pegasus is one of the things you're looking for, you fools!" Zirconia boomed, "That's the pegasus that's hiding in beautiful dreams with his Golden Crystal."

"Then it wasn't a total failure today," TouTou muttered, "We drew him out today."

"Yes, you have just barely redeemed yourselves," Zirconia rasped, "Now get out of my sight!"

***

That night, after her mother had quizzed her and Caya at least three times about the events of the afternoon, Damia lay in bed. The battle replayed over and over in her head, and holding it in as a secret wasn't helping at all. She'd had no word from Althea, Nerine, or Indira, while Pegasus' chalice remained disappointingly inanimate. "Pegasus?" she called hopefully, one more time, but he didn't appear. She sighed then switched off her bedside lamp and settled down into her covers. She tossed restlessly until fatigue finally got the better of her, and sleep took over.

_Damia stood at the edge of a mirror-like pool deep in a dimly-lit forest. Instead of her pajamas, she found herself wearing a spring green gown. The clearing she stood in was peaceful, but quiet almost to the point of lonely. Then it hit her, "I wonder if this is—" _

"_Elysion," Pegasus said as he stepped out into the moonlight. His white coat almost sparkled._

"_Pegasus!" she exclaimed, rushed over to him, and threw her arms around his gracefully arching neck. "Why didn't you come to visit tonight?" she asked into the soft fur of his neck._

"_I was afraid that..." he began, but abruptly said, "I'm sorry."_

"_It's okay. But I am glad that I'm here now." Damia said softly. "Am I actually here, or is this a dream?"_

"_Elysion is built on dreams, remember?" Pegasus said._

_Suddenly, the thoughts and emotions that had been bottled up all evening flowed out, "I thought I was going to die today. Twice." Warm tears trickled down her face._

"_I was afraid that I had arrived too late," Pegasus said softly._

"_If you hadn't come..." Damia murmured._

"_Hush, don't think about that," he reassured her, "I'm here now, and I promise I'll always come for you."_

"_And when you gave Sailor Nyx the power to defeat them," she said, "I felt like I might die, all over again. And then it... and then it..."_

"_I couldn't let her lightning hurt you like that, even if it meant destroying the Amazon Quartet," he explained, nuzzling the top of her head. "I had forgotten the destructive potential of Sailor Nyx."_

"_Wait, so then you took the power away again?" she asked, looking up into his amber eyes._

"_I did," he replied._

"_Pegasus," she scolded halfheartedly, "Defeating the Dead Moon Circus, rescuing your body, that's all far more important than me, just one person."_

"_Nothing is more important to me," he said so quietly that she almost didn't hear him._

_Damia smiled, wiping her tears away with the back of her hand. "But don't get me wrong," she said, "I'm so glad that you were there to protect me. I can't even say how much. I'm really not really to die yet." She paused. "It was you that saved Sailor Aether too, wasn't it?"_

"_It wasn't her time yet either," he responded, "And I did what I could."_

"_I don't know how you, or even us in our past lives, dealt with all this responsibility," she sighed. "It was only a couple of weeks ago that you appeared and totally changed my life. Sometimes I'm not even sure why I'm doing this, or that this isn't just some dream that I haven't woke up from yet. Sometimes it's almost too much."_

"_On the old Earth, you handled it with grace," he replied slowly, "It was something you were born for, and everyone knew it. It's what you were reborn for."_

"_I..." she stammered, "I want to fight your battles for you, but I'm afraid I'll let you down, Pegasus." She stood there silently for a moment then added, "I don't want to die."_

"_As long as I am free, I won't let you," he said firmly. For a moment, Damia almost forgot that Pegasus was a winged horse and not human like her. "I will always be with you, whether you can see me or not."_

"_Oh, Pegasus!" she exclaimed and hugged his neck more tightly. Tears resumed flowing down her face. "I couldn't do this without you."_

_He comfortingly rested his long, equine head on top of hers and they remained that way in silence for quite some time. Finally, Pegasus raised his head and gazed up at the stars._

"_There's something I want to show you," he said and bent down, "Get on my back."_

_Damia struggled to swing her weight up onto his back, tangling her legs in the layers of her gown. Trying for the third time and finally getting up, she laughed nervously at herself, "I'm not that used to wearing a dress."_

_Pegasus chuckled, "Now hold on tight." He crouched then leaped into the air, feathery wings pumping hard. With each wing beat, they rose and fell. Damia felt like her heart was in her throat, but she was breathless with exhilaration._

_They soared up above the treetops and into the cloudless sky. Stars glittered around the not-quite-full moon. Down below them, the pools of Elysion were mirrors of starlight and the prismatic crystals cast gentle rainbows on the forest._

"_It's beautiful," Damia gasped. She could help the broad smile on her face as the wind teased at her hair and her dress._

"_I had hoped you'd think so," Pegasus replied warmly. "Sometimes I curse being stuck in this form, and yet, I would never have been able to see this with both feet planted firmly on the ground."_

"_Thank you, Pegasus."_

23


	11. Chapter 11 Trio

**Elysion 11**

_Dead End_

Malia sat at her desk in her bedroom doing her homework. Or rather, she stared out the window at the pink shadows that the afternoon sunset cast on the snow-dusted grove behind her house. Transfixed, she had almost forgotten about the algebra in front of her.

"Malia!" Charisse called from downstairs, breaking Malia's trance. "Malia!"

"What?" she hollered back.

"Grab your sister and get down here!" Charisse yelled.

"What is it?"

"Now!"

A few moments later, Malia and Tacita scurried down the staircase and into the family room where Charisse sat on the couch, eyes glued to the TV. "You guys have to see this," she said, her voice hushed.

"...here in Asatara, a suburb of Chicago, where we are witnessing a baffling exchange of acrobatics and an unexplainable light show. Hovering above us in the sky is what appears to be a Pegasus..."

As the camera swooped over the scene, a playground scattered with screaming children, Malia gasped. "Those are dream mirrors—and Sailors!" she exclaimed, then quickly signed the same to Tacita.

"Helios!" Tacita exclaimed awkwardly, then signed, '_Those have to be the other four Sailors that Helios mentioned. And those boys must be the Dead Moon Circus.'_

"..have no explanation whether or not this is a show, or how these girls in miniskirts are producing this magic-like display..."

The sisters watched the battle rage and fidgeted through news and commercial breaksuntil finally, the villains disappeared, followed shortly by the Sailors. As an interview with a girl who had been at the scene and what appeared to be her younger sister began, Charisse started, "So, what do you think?" she asked.

"I think that if the Dead Moon Circus down there is getting that bold, we need to be even more careful on our guard," Malia said darkly, "those circus boys didn't look so strong, and yet, they really hurt two of the Sailors."

"We have to stop them as soon as we can," Tacita said with some effort, then added, '_And just preventing their attacks won't do it.'_

"She's right," Malia agreed.

"We still need to prevent their attacks, though," Charisse pointed out.

_'And stopping them at their heart would do that,' _Tacita argued.

"You don't mean going back to the circus?" Charisse asked incredulously.

_'I do.'_

"I don't like it," Charisse said slowly.

"But we never did get a chance to investigate what I found," Malia said, "We've got to try to do something."

"Right," Charisse said absently, thinking deeply, "If we're going to do this, the sooner the better. We can't wait for another show to interrupt."

"Tonight then?" Malia asked.

_'Let's do it,' _Tacita sighed and nodded firmly.

"If you're both okay with this..." Charisse began, and both girls nodded vigorously, "then we go as soon as it's dark."

***

I don't know what Zirconia expects us to do if those Sailor girls show up at the show again," LionEye signed as the Amazoness Trio lounged dejectedly at the Dead Moon bar.

"You could ask," OspreyEye laughed.

"You saw what happened last time we asked something like that," LionEye retorted.

"I'd say, do what we want to and ask for forgiveness later," OspreyEye suggested.

"What do you mean?" OrcaEye asked.

"Even if we resort to open fighting," OspreyEye replied, stretching, "if we capture or kill those girls, Zirconia is sure to forgive us, or even reward us. She wants victory out of us. And if we don't, well, what's the worst that old hag could do to us?"

"I don't know about you guys, but I don't like the idea of us being replaced," LionEye said slowly after taking a long drink out of her beverage.

"I wouldn't mind taking a break. We deserve it," OrcaEye sighed.

"But I get the feeling that being replaced would be the end of us, the way Zirconia was talking," LionEye said darkly.

"Then we can't fail," OspreyEye replied distantly.

"Why do you think Zirconia wants all this for anyway?" OrcaEye mused, "I mean, I know we're trying to find the spirit of that guy who was carrying the Golden Crystal, but there's also that book she has us looking for."

"It's for Queen Nehelenia, remember?" LionEye reminded her.

"I'd bet the Golden Crystal has powers that the queen could use," OrcaEye responded, "And dreams too. All the dreams I've looked into felt pretty powerful."

"Now that you mention it, yeah," LionEye nodded. "I wonder if that book has anything to do with the power of dreams. It's supposed to be hidden in someone's dreams, after all."

"You know, it's strange that we never see Queen Nehelenia," OspreyEye commented finally, after staring thoughtfully off into the darkness for much of the conversation.

"She never comes out from behind that window," OrcaEye said.

"It's a mirror, OrcaEye," LionEye snapped.

"You two saw Queen Nehelenia?" OspreyEye asked quickly, her voice hushed. "Where was I?"

"We peeked in on Zirconia up in the peak when we heard them talking one day while you were out hunting dream mirrors," LionEye explained, her voice nonchalantly full-volume.

"Shh!" OspreyEye hissed, "If Zirconia found out that you—"

"But you could hardly call her seeing her silhouette actually seeing her," OrcaEye interrupted. "I wonder what she actually looks like."

"Beautiful, I'm sure," LionEye replied.

"She's the queen, after all," OrcaEye agreed.

Just then, Zircon fluttered lazily through the room.

"Probably spying," OrcaEye murmured.

"Zirconia doesn't trust us, that's for sure," LionEye shrugged.

"Well, let's get back to work, girls," OrcaEye said proudly, as if nothing in their conversation had been unusual. "We've got a show to plan." With that, the three women set their drinks down on top of the pile of photographs and ambled out of the lounge.

Sailor Phlegethon, Sailor Hemera, and Sailor Cocytus cowered in the shadows, nearly holding their breath in absolute silence until the Amazoness Trio was long gone.

"Did you guys get all that?" the small red-head whispered.

Both of her sisters nodded.

Slipping out from underneath the long table-cloth, Hemera said quietly, "Let's check this place out."

The three girls fanned out across the dimly-lit room. The neon sign above the bar only cast an eerie red light over the area immediately around it. There was little to see beyond that anyway. Only the three center seats at the bar showed any sign of recent use. The rest of the room was littered with odd polygonal tables draped with dusty, black table-cloths and stools to match.

Sailor Cocytus gingerly worked her way over to the bar. Cautiously, she leafed through the pile of Polaroid photos. Wordlessly, her two sisters joined her, peering over her shoulder.

"That's Michel, isn't it?" Sailor Phlegethon asked as Cocytus's hand drifted over a strikingly familiar picture.

She gasped, "You're right! These are..."

"They must be their targets," Hemera guessed, "I recognize a few more of these too. Wait! That one, it's Tacita!"

With shaking hands, Cocytus picked up the photo. She saw herself smiling cheerfully with a golden aspen leaf tucked into her hair. "That was only last week," she murmured, "I wonder how..."

Sailor Phlegethon backed up a few paces. "I don't think we're going to learn much from these pictures, girls," she said in a low voice, "We should move on."

"If we can find Queen Nehelenia's mirror and destroy it, maybe that would be enough to end this," Sailor Hemera suggested.

"This place is huge, so we'd better get searching," Phlegethon urged.

"Yeah," Sailor Cocytus said absently. Her gloved hands lingered over the pictures. Seeing a small trash can behind the bar, she slid Michel's picture and her own out of the pile and let them fall into the trash can.

"Tacita?" her older sister asked.

She set her jaw determinedly, "Let's go."

Following the same direction the Amazoness Trio had taken, Sailor Hemera led the trio deeper into the Dead Moon Circus tent.

At every new room, every door, and ever tent flap, the girls fanned out and took cover behind whatever they could find before proceeding. Hemera, creeping cautiously ahead, peering into the darkness, would give a silent wave of her hand and the other two would follow stealthily after her.

Crouching behind yet another pile of crates at one end of a vast chamber with a ceiling so high that it was lost to the darkness, after passing through countless other rooms, the sisters finally broke their silence.

"I get the distinct feeling that we're ascending," Phlegethon said, hushed.

"I think you're right," Hemera nodded. "From what the Amazoness Trio said, I think up is where we want to be headed."

"We lost the trio some time ago, I think," Cocytus added. "If they're far away or distracted when we find the heart of this place, we've got a better chance."

"If only we had those other four Sailors to help us…" Phlegethon said wistfully, trailing off into silence. Her sisters didn't respond but both felt the same way.

Cocytus took a deep breath and sighed. _I've always wanted to help others in a big way, but this is almost too much. How did we get drawn into this?_

"Well, we need to keep moving," Hemera said at last, "The room is pretty empty, so stick close to the walls." She darted out and into the shadows along the wall, moving as smoothly and silently as she could. A few seconds later, Sailor Phlegethon followed after.

_Whether I like it or not, we were chosen, and it's only us that can stop them._ Sailor Cocytus took a deep breath and plunged into the shadows after her sisters.

After several agonizing minutes of picking their way across the chamber with only the scuffing of their shoes and distant eerie laughter cutting through the silence, the three Sailors reached a large metal door.

It was, in fact, the first real door they had encountered in the circus tent. It was steely gray with gold, black, and midnight blue decorations swathed across it. Along the top of the door frame, hundreds of tiny mirrors were set into the metal.

"This looks like something out of a palace," Sailor Phlegethon whispered as she ran her gloved hands over the door.

"I bet this is the way to the queen," Hemera agreed. "Are you guys ready?" Her younger sisters nodded solemnly. "Well, let's give this all we've got," she said encouragingly, throwing her arms around their shoulders in a quick embrace, "Let's go." Again leading the way, Sailor Hemera pulled the door open and stepped inside onto a winding staircase. Boldly, she stepped forward and ascended, Phlegethon and Cocytus behind her. They climbed the narrow staircase, practically holding their breath. Each turn of the stairs could bring an enemy down on top of them, and yet none did.

After what seemed like an eternity of painstakingly quiet climbing, they reached a long and narrow corridor at the top. Just as silently and cautiously, Sailor Hemera led the trio of Sailors down the corridor.

Suddenly, Sailor Phlegethon saw something following alongside her out of the corner of her eye. She gasped and stopped. It stopped too, wavering in the shadows. Something else moved up beside it as well.

Halting beside her, Sailor Cocytus squinted into the darkness. Experimentally waving one arm, she whispered, "Mirrors."

Letting out a sigh of relief, Sailor Phlegethon continued on, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was following her.

"Mirrors to the vanity of a queen," Sailor Cocytus murmured. Noticing that she was lagging behind the others, Cocytus moved on as well.

At the far end of the corridor, there was another ornate door nearly identical to the one at the bottom of the stairs. This one, however, hung ajar. Voices drifted out to them.

"Yes, I understand, my queen," an old woman rasped.

"No, Zirconia, I don't think you understand," another woman snapped, "Your minions are failures. I am beginning to think you a failure. I want progress now."

"We are working as quickly as we are able, my queen, but there are so many humans to check," the first woman, Zirconia, stammered, "We will have the Golden Crystal for you very soon, I promise."

"I tire of your empty promises," the second woman, the queen, said, "Didn't you promise to bring me Helios unharmed? And yet he lays in a coma, unspeaking, and unmoving. In this state, he is useless. How can he tell me the secrets of Elysion if his spirit is elsewhere? How can I take hold of the Golden Crystal if he has fled?"

"But aren't you pleased to hear that the Amazon Quartet spotted him as Pegasus just this afternoon?" Zirconia offered.

"The fools should have made that discovery long ago," she said flippantly, "I want Helios and his Elysion!"

"Yes, Queen Nehelenia," Zirconia said respectfully.

"Now!" she shrieked.

Then the room beyond the door fell eerily silent.

_'Now is our chance,'_ Sailor Hemera signed.

_'Be careful,' _Sailor Cocytus added.

_'We're looking for a mirror to destroy, right?' _Phlegethon asked.

_'Right, the Amazoness Trio said that Queen Nehelenia lived inside a mirror,'_ Hemera replied, '_It will probably be a big one.'_

The other girls nodded silently. Listening closely for a moment, Sailor Hemera pushed the door open far enough for her to sneak by and slipped inside. The chamber inside was round with a ring of green pillars around the outer edge. Illuminated only by flickering torchlight, the three Sailors could hardly make out the form of a tall, ornate mirror in the very center of the room.

"That's it!" the youngest of the three whispered and crept out of the protective shadows of the pillars.

"Wait, where's Zirconia?" Cocytus asked, but she was already too late.

Rasping laughter reverberated throughout the room as a purple-skinned hag robed in even more purple stepped out of the shadows on the other side of the chamber. The three girls froze.

"Look what we have here," Zirconia chuckled, "The three Sailor pests."

Sailor Hemera stepped boldly out in front of her little sister and declared, "We're here to end your reign of terror. The attacks stop now."

Zirconia only laughed and continued to draw closer to them, "My minions must be even more incompetent than I had thought, to let three little girls slip in undetected. Even now, you don't stand a chance. What could you possibly do to me here, in my stronghold? I hold all the cards."

"Or maybe we are more competent than you thought," Sailor Phlegethon said crossly, "Volcanic Ground Split!" She slammed her staff onto the stone floor and a red-hot fissure shot through it towards Zirconia. Zirconia yelled and scrambled backwards, but seemed otherwise unharmed.

"You little girls don't belong in this game," Zirconia sneered, "You are in way over your heads." The three girls held their ground, ready to launch into action, but unsure what to do next.

Zirconia let out another ear-splitting laugh, and a maze of tall mirrors suddenly sprung up out of nowhere.

Sailor Phlegethon looked all around her, but all she could see was her own reflection. "Sailor Hemera? Sailor Cocytus?" she called hesitantly, but no answer came.

"All alone again?" an all too familiar voice asked.

She whirled around but still saw no one else. "Who's there?" she asked quietly.

"It's me, Malia, silly," the voice laughed. She suddenly found herself face to face with her own reflection, a reflection that ceased to reflect her own movements. "I'm here now with you," Sailor Phlegethon's reflection said, "I'll always be here for you."

"What are you talking about?" Phlegethon asked. _Something feels really wrong here._

"Aren't you tired of waiting on others? I know I am," her reflection asked, "You can always count on yourself. Your sisters and your friends, they slow you down, and you know it."

"Well, yeah," she started, but protested, "but they need my help. It's lonely without them otherwise, too."

"So you let them use you just so you can pretend you aren't lonely?" the reflection demanded.

"No!" Sailor Phlegethon protested, "Well, at least, not on purpose. I love them."

"I can see that," the reflection scoffed, "You want to be like them. You admire them."

"Yeah," Phlegethon nodded, "Pretty, gentle, well-liked, popular… all of that."

"You know, they only are kind to you because they pity you," the reflection said, "and because they want your help. They don't love you back the same way you love them."

"I… they…" she stammered, letting her staff fall clattering to the floor.

"Malia, you need to confront that loneliness in your heart," the reflection encouraged soothingly, "Only once you've overcome it can you become strong and accomplish your dreams."

"But I…" she began as a lump rose in her throat, "I can't. The loneliness is too much to bear on my own." Tears began to fall down her cheeks and Sailor Phlegethon slumped to the floor. She sniffed, "How can I ever achieve my dreams if I'm so weak and scared by being alone? No one understands me."

"Malia, Malia," her reflection repeated, "I understand you. I love you. Come to me." Reaching out of the mirror, the reflection extended a hand towards her.

"Oh no!" Sailor Hemera gasped, "What have I done? Where are they?" She whirled around, boxed in by mirrors.

"What are you so worried about?" a sweet voice asked.

Hemera jumped. "Who? What?"

"Look in front of you," the voice said, "It's me. I'm you."

Charisse locked eyes with her own reflection, which smiled and winked back at her.

"You worry too much about those two, and you know it," the reflection said, pointing an accusing finger at her.

"With Mom and Dad never around, they need someone to take care of them. That's my job," Charisse protested.

"You've let your parents tell you that. It's not as true they've made you believe," her reflection told her.

"But…" she protested.

"Since they've become Sailors like you, isn't it obvious just how independent they are. They really don't need you," the reflection said. Sailor Hemera sighed but said nothing. "You're beautiful, charismatic, and much more intelligent than you let on," the reflection said, "Allow yourself to get a new boyfriend, do the things you want to do, have fun. You deserve it."

"I've always wished I had more time for that, but, I don't know, that's not me," she replied lamely.

"But that _is_ you, Charisse," her reflection argued, "You just have never let yourself be yourself. Look at me! The only difference between you and me is that I have confidence in who I am. I'm proud of who I am. Charisse, I'm who you should be."

"I—" she stammered, "I think I really want that, but do you think I can change?"

"Of course you can, Charisse, if you learn to love yourself for who you are," the reflection said encouragingly, "Let the world see what a beautiful person you are!"

A smile crept onto Sailor Hemera's face, and she stepped closer to the mirror.

"You always knew it would end like this, didn't you," a soft voice said.

"This isn't the end," Sailor Cocytus protested, cautiously looking around for the source of the voice. "I haven't given up and neither have my sisters. We know what we have to do."

"Are you sure?" the voice taunted. It sounded so familiar, and yet so very unfamiliar.

"Sailor Hemera and Sailor Cocytus, they're both stronger than I am, I'm sure they've already found a way out of this maze," she said defiantly, wishing that she was as confident as she sounded.

"So they've left you here, then?" The voice echoed all around her, and yet all she saw was her own reflection.

"No," she said firmly. "My sisters would never abandon me."

"I don't hear them calling for you," the voice observed, "It seems as if they have."

"Never," Sailor Cocytus said forcefully, still pivoting warily on her heels. "We have a mission to do, and they know that as well as I do. Maybe they're busy, but they'd never abandon me."

"Maybe you're not cut out for this," the voice suggested, "Your sisters are stronger than you."

"Maybe I am holding them back," Cocytus said slowly.

"Tacita, don't you just want to be a normal girl? Don't you just want to go to school, hang out with Michel, and not have to worry about anything else?" the voice asked.

"Who are you?" Sailor Cocytus whispered.

Suddenly, her own reflection broke free of her movements and extended two welcoming arms towards her, "I'm you, Tacita."

Cocytus warily backed away.

"Oh, come on. I know you. I _am_ you," her reflection urged, "You've always wanted to be something greater than yourself; the shy deaf girl who is too afraid to make friends. And now you are, but it's far too much. You're just Tacita. You don't need these responsibilities and powers. You don't even want them."

Sailor Cocytus sighed. "You're right, I'm not cut out for this," she admitted.

"You can lay it down, Tacita, pretend that all this never happened," her reflection urged soothingly. "You can become a normal girl again. Your sisters don't need you. Come with me." Her reflection held both hands encouragingly towards her.

Sailor Phlegethon reached out grasped her reflection's hand and let herself be drawn into the mirror. The gentle sensation of arms holding her in a comforting embrace overwhelmed her and she fell into a deep sleep. Her tears now meant nothing.

Sailor Hemera smiled and pressed her hands lightly against the surface of the mirror. It was warm. She gently laid her cheek against the mirror as well and felt a pair of arms wrap her in an embrace. Nothing mattered now.

"Wait, no!" Sailor Cocytus exclaimed, stepping back away from the mirror, "I will never abandon my sisters!"

"Fool!" the reflection hissed, all of the reflections on the mirrors surrounding her joined in the chorus of taunts. "They don't need you! You're too weak for this! You only want to be a normal girl! They've already abandoned you! Come with us!"

"No! I don't want to hear this!" She slapped her hands against her ears, wishing she were anywhere else. _Make it stop! I want silence! These voices are too much!_ _I'd rather be deaf!_ Suddenly, she felt power well up inside of her and the voices stopped. She lowered her hands from her ears, but the silence remained while the mouths of her reflections still moved. It was a comforting silence.

_'You are not me! I'd never say things like that,' _she signed angrily. '_Sky Shower Shatter!'_ As her hands swept out to call for the attack, bright blue light surrounded her and the mirrors fell to pieces at her feet. A thick darkness had fallen around her, and the room seemed totally unfamiliar. She saw no sign of either Sailor Hemera or Sailor Phlegethon.

Taking a hesitant step forward, she stumbled over something on the floor. Looking down, she saw her younger sister's iron staff. Her eyes widened. She couldn't hear the menacing laughter that echoed all around her.

A tenor voice broke through the silence in her mind, "Run!"

Without another thought, Sailor Cocytus turned and ran. She knew neither where she was nor where she was going, but only that she had to get out.


	12. Chapter 12

**Glimpses of the Past**

_Chapter 12_

Unintelligible chants cheers and songs reverberated throughout the circus tent. Barely visible shadows tumbled, jumped, swung, and flew about at the edge of the light.

"We have them! We have them!" some cried.

"Victory for Queen Nehelenia!"

"The Dead Moon is unstoppable!"

"And what part did you lot have in this?" Zirconia demanded sourly, appearing suddenly upon her platform high above the floor, "If I recall, those three Sailors got all the way to my private tower without any kind of interruption. The victory was mine."

"We are fortunate to have such a wise and powerful leader," a voice rose up out of the darkness.

"Don't try to flatter me," she spat, "It will get you nowhere. This is a small victory. We have two of those brats captive, but there are at least five more still out there. We have found neither the Secret Keeper nor the Golden Crystal yet. Now get back to work!" she roared.

The shadowy figures slowly disappeared, mumbling as they went.

"Amazon Quartet!" Zirconia roared, "Where are you?"

"Right here, your hagginess," ParPar said from his perch on a trapeze, saluting.

Zirconia growled angrily. The other three boys appeared in the spotlight below and ParPar somersaulted down to join them.

"You four still have a lot of work to do. No more of this playing around, understand? Queen Nehelenia's patience is waning" Zirconia boomed.

"Yes, ma'am," they all chorused in response. All four had their fingers crossed behind their backs.

She grasped a rolled piece of paper in her hands and flung it down to them. AthoAtho snatched it and unrolled it while the others crowded around behind him to get a better look. "What is this?" AthoAtho asked.

"It is the flier for a school play called 'The Crystal Wood'," Zirconia explained.

"So?" TouTou demanded.

"Hey," NikNik observed, "It says here that it's written by a student at Asatara Jr. High, Caroline Wong."

"Correct," Zirconia said smirking, "And it bears remarkable similarity to the legends of Elysion, which no human of today should know. Knowledge of that was lost with the Secret Keeper."

"You mean, this girl could be the Secret Keeper?" ParPar asked.

"Or the host of the Golden Crystal," Zirconia nodded.

"Alright!" TouTou said, snatching the flier from AthoAtho, "I'll take this one then."

"Hey!" AthoAtho exclaimed.

"Oh no you don't," NikNik warned, "I'm not going to let you get all the glory on this one."

"I'm coming too!" ParPar piped in.

"You can't do this without me either," AthoAtho put in, trotting after the other three, who had already started off into the darkness, each trying to get possession of the theater poster.

***

_Nerine stood in a vast hall of cold gray stone. Ornately carved pillars dotted the room while thick tapestries hung on all the walls. High above, the hall was lit with flickering candle light from immense candelabras. It was somehow both majestic and forbidding._

"_You summoned us, Your Majesty?" a young woman—no, a Sailor with curly blond hair and a yellow and pink uniform bowed before a massive throne. Nerine looked around her, and saw other Sailors: Nyx, Erebus, Elysion, and two more she didn't recognize. Following the older girl's lead, they all dropped to one knee and bowed as well._

_On the golden throne before them sat an old man, broad shouldered and pot bellied with a thick brown beard. He wore ceremonial armor, a regal red cape, and a golden crown on top of his head. King Endymion. With a curt wave of his hand, he signaled them to rise._

_Nerine heard more footsteps approaching from behind. As she turned, she saw four more men in crisp white and brown military uniforms striding towards them. Each had a sword at his side._

"_Good, you are all here," the king began darkly._

"_Where is the prince?" the blond sailor asked._

_The King stared darkly at the four generals, all of whom avoided his gaze. They knew something. That much was clear, but they weren't willing to betray their master._

"_Something has happened, hasn't it?" Sailor Nyx observed._

"_Kunzite, if you would," King Endymion said, gesturing to the tallest of the four generals who had just arrived._

"_Yes, Your Highness," he said, bowing. His hair was long and white. On any other man, Nerine would have sworn that it would have made him look feminine. On Kunzite, the hair was part of what made him so commanding a presence. "You all have observed the strange activity on the sun lately, I am sure," he began. "It seems that this has been more than just a simple act of nature. Evil has descended onto our beloved planet. Revolts are breaking out everywhere and our citizens are demanding justice."_

"_Justice?" Sailor Erebus asked, "For what?"_

"_They are dissatisfied with the rule of the Silver Millennium in our system. They demand independence, swearing that it is unjust for a grand planet such as Earth to be ruled by its satellite," another man with wavy brown hair filled in._

"_Thank you Nephrite," Kunzite nodded to him, "But we sense other powers at work in this."_

"_Just two months ago, a woman came to He—the high priest of Elysion and demanded the Golden Crystal," Sailor Elysion offered hesitantly, "He didn't give it to her, of course."_

"_Any why wasn't this reported?" the king demanded._

"_It was, Your Majesty," the third general said quickly. Of the four, only his hair was cut short like a man's should be, in Nerine's opinion. "But it seems that the woman fled to the Moon after her failure and was imprisoned there."_

"_This is all unsettling news," Sailor Nyx said softly._

"_Do you think this is connected?" a sailor with long indigo hair and a uniform of pale blue and purple asked quietly._

"_I suspect that the moon is at the heart of this," the short-haired general said decisively._

"_What makes you say that, Jadeite?" Nerine found herself saying._

"_The moon has been wary of us for ages, of the power and resilience of our civilization, and of our unwillingness to bow to their rule," he speculated, "They want to break us and our hold on our people. They want us to come to them on our knees asking for help and forgiveness."_

"_It is in such times," the four general said quietly, "That we need to band closely to our people and remind them of the glory of the Earth Kingdom." His light brown hair was long, but he kept it tied in a ponytail._

"_Well said, Zoisite," King Endymion nodded slowly, "We must be prepared for a fight, whatever may come."_

_The sailor in pink and yellow stepped forward again, "But, Your Majesty, don't you think..."_

"_Nerine!"_

"Nerine!" Someone was shaking her shoulders. Suddenly, she was sitting at a desk in school, no longer as Sailor Aether, but as Nerine Chailyn.

"What?" she stammered as the classroom and the girl in front of her came into focus.

"That was the bell. Class is over for today," the girl, her friend Annie, said. She added, "It was like you were asleep with your eyes open. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said slowly. "That was weird though. What did I miss?"

"We were talking about the moon," Annie explained, "but then Mr. Carlson got sidetracked on some legends about Mare Serenitatis, so you didn't miss much. I'm sure if you do the homework tonight, you'll be caught up again," she said, pointing to the assignment written up on the black board.

"Okay," she nodded and slowly got up from her desk, collecting her things. "Let's go. Thanks for waking me up, Annie."

"No problem," she replied, looking worried, "Just be sure to get some rest tonight, okay?"

Nerine forced a smile, "Of course!"

In a few minutes, she was outside the school and heading home, still deep in thought about what she had just seen. _Was that my past? Who were those four generals? Where was that anyway? In Aether or one of the other hidden kingdoms? Were those other three sailors Cocytus, Hemera, and Phlegethon?_

"You look like you've just seen a ghost," Damia observed, suddenly appearing beside her.

"Maybe I have," Nerine answered, shaking herself out of her web of thoughts.

"What do you mean?" Damia asked, suddenly concerned.

"Hey girls," Indira said, sauntering up to them, "What are you up to?"

"Not much," Nerine shrugged, "Just heading home."

"You three plotting again?" Althea asked, joining them as well. "It makes me nervous when I see all of you together. Any news on the Dead Moon?"

They all shook their heads. "Nothing since the incident at the day care," Indira answered.

"All this quiet is making me nervous," Althea admitted, balling her hands into fists. I wish there was something more that we could do than just waiting for them to make another move."

"Well, why don't we all go and ask Pegasus for some more advice tonight?" Nerine suggested.

"We've got a track meet tonight in Urbana," Althea said, pointing her thumb towards Damia.

"We won't be back until late," Damia explained apologetically.

"I'm working tech for that play that's going up this weekend," Indira added.

"'The Crystal Wood'?" Althea asked and Indira nodded. "That's the reason I never see Chris any more. I'll be glad when it's over. Between her rehearsals and all of this track stuff for me, I hardly see her any more."

"From what I've seen, she's a great actress," Indira observed. "You're going to the show, right?"

"Of course," Althea smiled, "I've got a ticket for tomorrow, opening night."

Indira turned to the other two girls and said, "You two really ought to go too. My friend Caroline wrote it. She said it's a story that's been on her mind for years, something she dreamed up. There's something about this play; it almost reminds me of, well, Elysion."

"But how?" Damia stammered.

"You don't think...?" Althea started but trailed off.

"Well," Indira said, taking a step back, "I have to get to the dress rehearsal."

"Are there still tickets left for tomorrow night?" Damia asked urgently.

"Yeah," Indira nodded, "If they didn't sell out already after school. Come on, I'll take you there on my way."

"Okay," Damia nodded. "You coming Nerine?"

"Uh, sure," she replied, still not feeling like herself.

"Let's go," Indira urged them, and they headed back into the school.

"Damia, don't be late for the bus!" Althea called after them.

"I won't!" Damia shot back defensively. "You'd think after all we've been through, she'd realize that I was more responsible than that," she muttered.

"I hope you guys do well at your meet tonight," Nerine offered.

Damia grinned, "I plan to beat Althea this time."

"And I bet she's planning the same thing too," Indira laughed.

***

When Nerine, Damia, and Damia's little cousin Caya hurried into the school's theater, it was already nearly full and buzzing with exciting conversation. Their last-minute tickets got them seats in the back corner, but the theater was small enough that it wasn't too much of a problem. The gingerly made their way over the other people in their row who had already arrived and settled into their seats.

Before she sat down, Nerine scanned the auditorium, squinting. "There she is!" she exclaimed, pointing down towards the front where a head of gray hair poked up above the crowd. "Althea sure got a good seat," she observed, and sat down, "We should have gotten our tickets earlier."

Flipping open the program, Damia scanned the cast list, "It looks like her best friend Chris has one of the lead roles. No wonder. She must have gotten her ticket super early."

"I bet," Nerine nodded.

"I can't see," Caya whined as she bounced irritably in her seat.

There was a full grown man seated in front of Caya but only another child in front of Damia. Damia stood up, saying, "Here Caya, you can trade with me."

"Okay!" she said happily and climbed over the armrest between their two seats.

"I wonder what Indira meant by it reminded her of our pasts?" Nerine mused.

"I guess we'll find out," Damia replied as the lights began to dim.

"Shh!" Caya loudly reminded her, finger to her lips.

Damia suppressed a giggle and focused her attention on the stage.

The curtain came up on a group of uniformed students rushing down a street lined with houses that looked to be right out of London, England. The sound of air raid sirens and bombs filled the theater. The students, rushing down the street, were caught on their way home without shelter. As the whirr of German planes drew nearer, they hid behind a low wall, praying for the best.

The stage went black. Moments later, the lights came back up on a wooded scene. The trees decorated liberally with glitter. The six students lay sprawled out in the middle of a moonlit clearing. When they awoke, they were greeted by curious animals that performed a small dance around them and then a troupe of people dressed in white fairy-like costumes greeted them to the magical realm.

As the play progressed, the students befriended these magical locals and explored the crystal wood they had been whisked into. The prince of the forest told them all how to enter and exit the secret realm with only a chant. They returned home to destruction, but relieved families.

Again, whenever the air raid sirens sounded, the six students would return to the safety of the Crystal Wood. However, one by one, the four boys were drafted into the army and left for the front. Meanwhile, the prince noticed one of the two girls and fell in love.

As the war dragged on, news came that one of their friends had died. The two girls realized that they could not keep living in this magical dream and pretending that the war was far away and had nothing to do with them. They bade tearful farewells to the prince of the wood and his companions.

Indira, high above on the catwalk, switched her light to a blue film and swung it over to the center of the stage where the prince and his lover gingerly clasped hands. The second girl, played by Chris, hung to the side, watching them bitterly. It was this moment that always tugged at Indira's heart—and memories.

"It's not that I want to leave you," the girl said, trying to step away, but the prince held her close, "but I can't ignore what is really going on to my family and my friends. I can't abandon my duty to my country."

"What can one girl do, really?" the prince asked pleadingly, "Can't you stay here where you will be safe? The war won't find you here."

Chris stepped out of the shadows and demanded, "Can't you just let her go? Prince, we are a hundred times thankful for how you rescued all of us that one day and for this beautiful sanctuary you have let us escape to. It has given us hope and strength; hope that so many others have lost. We need to take that hope back with us and do something to help, no matter how little."

"_So you're going then, my lady," the high priest of Nyx said, giving Indira a long, measuring gaze._

_She nodded, "It can't be helped. All seven of the soldiers of the Earth are needed."_

"_And what if they should come here?" he asked, as if he already anticipated her answer._

"_If I can be spared from the front, I will return to protect this place. But, Kamlesh, who would dare attack the Vale of Storms?" she asked, "This place can defend itself, and you know you are just as powerful as I when you call upon the power of Nyx."_

"_It is true, the people are afraid, strengthening our realm and our powers. However, now it is difficult to discern what fear is from true rebellion and what is from the Evil One," he paused as a peal of thunder rolled overhead. "The women of the temple, this unknown evil has even them frightened. They would have me beg you to stay here where you will be safe."_

"_And will you?" Nyx asked._

_He shook his head, "The Earth needs the strength of Nyx to fight off these invaders."_

_The Lady of Nyx explained, "You know what I have to do."_

"_And I know that you will not return," he said evenly._

"_Then let's not put this off any longer," she replied, un-phased by his comment, "This is my duty, what I was born for: I'm going to defend the Earth King."_

"_We will be praying for you," he answered, but she had already begun walking out of the sanctuary._

The prince of the crystal wood let go of the girl's hand. Chris put an arm around her shoulders and led her away. "We will return once our home is peaceful again," Chris said as they disappeared from the stage. Indira blinked fervently, almost missing her next lighting cue. She proceeded in a thick haze, her mind on what she had just seen rather than on the play. Somehow, she completed the show almost flawlessly.

At the end of the play, only Chris and one of the boys were left alive, of the six students from the beginning. The war was won and peace returned, but they never felt like they could return to the crystal wood again, without their other friends.

The curtain fell, Indira switched off her spotlight, and thunderous applause erupted.

As the curtain rose again, the cast reassembled for the curtain call, joined by the play's young writer, Caroline Wong. Suddenly, four boys tumbled onto the stage, surrounding Caroline. The actors all drew back in surprise, causing nervous whispering in the audience.

"The Amazon Quartet!" Indira hissed, "We should have known they'd come. If this play caught our attention, of course it would catch theirs."

Without a word, the four boys drew back their pool cues and aimed their crystal spheres at Caroline and three of the lead actors. Indira noticed ParPar shift his aim from Chris to the boy standing next to her. Simultaneously, they fired, screams erupting from their first four targets. The balls ricocheted off the scenery until the entire cast, except Chris, lay collapsed on the stage, dream mirrors floating above them. Chris stood frozen for a few moments, then dodged her way off the stage into the curtains at the side.

Under the cover of their screams, Indira threw her transformation sphere into the air and yelled, "Nyx Terran Power, Makeup!"

As the Amazon Quartet took down the cast not twenty feet in front of her, Althea felt powerless. She couldn't transform in front of so many people. Suddenly, there came a familiar voice from high above, "Interrupting a school play? That's tacky."

"Who?" AthoAtho demanded squinting up into the darkness.

Sailor Nyx leaped down onto the stage, landing easily. Glaring down at them, she struck a confident pose and said, "Sailor Nyx, here to bring the thunder."

"You again?" ParPar moaned.

"You'd better believe it," she smirked, and then turned to the stunned audience, "This isn't part of the play any more. Everyone, get out of here. It's not safe." When no one moved, she yelled, "Run!" That seemed to break them from their trance and people poured over each other trying to reach the exits first. In the chaos, Damia, Nerine, and Althea each found dark corners to transform in.

"Pegasus, lend me your power," Sailor Nyx cried, raising her staff high into the air. _I'm going to need it if those three don't hurry up._

With a whinny, Pegasus appeared in the air above the audience. A few people lingered, staring up at him. "I said run, and I mean it!" Nyx barked.

AthoAtho stood boldly before her and ordered, without looking back at his companions, "You three, check all those mirrors. I'll hold her off." He said threateningly, "You just scared away half of our targets, Sailor Nyx. You're going to have to pay for that."

Behind him, the other three members of the Amazon Quartet scurried from mirror to mirror, plunging their heads in and pulling them out almost as quickly.

"With pleasure," she replied, grinning back. Raising her staff higher still into the air, she yelled, "Nyx Tempest!" Lightning lashed out in all directions. While AthoAtho received the brunt of it, tendrils of lightning struck the other three as well, each erupting into screams. AthoAtho, despite his pain, stubbornly remained on his feet while his friends collapsed behind him.

"Is that all you've got?" he taunted breathlessly.

"Of course not!" Sailor Erebus declared as she leaped up onto the stage, Sailor Elysion and Sailor Aether behind her. They all struck defiant poses beside Sailor Nyx.

Glancing up at Pegasus, Sailor Aether stepped forward, "Get away from these actors!"

"Not until we're finished here," TouTou retorted before plunging into yet another dream mirror.

"Aether Echo Reverberation!" she whispered drawing her arms close to her chest. A quiet murmur suddenly grew to a roar and knocked everyone, including the other Sailors, off their feet.

"You're making this awfully difficult, you know," NikNik complained and he pulled himself up off the floor again.

"That's the plan," Sailor Elysion retorted. "Now, get out!"

"Not until we've—" AthoAtho hissed.

"They're all empty!" TouTou interrupted him.

"No Golden Crystal and no great secret," ParPar whined.

"Are you sure you know what you were looking for?" AthoAtho demanded, turning his back on the Sailor Soldiers. "Zirconia was so sure of this one."

"Of course we do!" TouTou argued defensively.

"All you've been doing is standing there," NikNik accused, "While we did all the work."

Sailor Elysion looked between her three friends and they all nodded. They leaped into action, surrounding the arguing circus boys.

"Elysion Crisis Melody!"

"Dark Thunderbolt Strike!"

"Moonlight Flash!"

"Darkness Lifting Contradiction!"

The attacks all met their mark and the Amazon Quartet collapsed, screaming.

"Had enough yet?" Sailor Nyx asked, almost eagerly.

Using TouTou's shoulder to push himself up, AthoAtho panted, "You haven't seen the last of us, Sailors. We'll get that Golden Crystal, and then we'll destroy you."

Suddenly, the four of them disappeared. All that was left of their presence were the four crystal spheres that soared away, quick as a lightning, and the jumble of Dream Mirrors on the stage.

"Let's return these mirrors to the right people quickly before anyone gets curious," Sailor Erebus advised.

They all went to work, but Sailor Elysion paused and looked up at Pegasus. "Thanks again, Pegasus," she whispered. With toss of his head and another whinny, he disappeared as well.

As soon as all of the mirrors had been returned to their respective owners, and the actors began to come to, moaning, the four sailors dashed for the back exit, a safe place to shed their transformations.

"I hope Caya found a safe place to hide," Damia murmured as she hurried towards the atrium.

Althea turned on her heels and rushed back into the theater, hoping to find Chris where she had fled backstage during the fighting.

Indira turned to head back into the theater to clean up her lighting station when Nerine commented, "I know what you mean, about how that play reminded you of our past." The normally bouncy girl's voice was distant and almost sage-like.

"I've seen it so many times already from up on the catwalk," Indira said, shaking her head, "But tonight I had a vision. No, it was more like a memory from the past that I had forgotten."

"I think I'm starting to remember what it was like back then too," Nerine said, nodding. "I had a vision-memory-thing today during class. It's weird. My mind is full of memories already, but these new, old ones are pushing their way in too."

"Well, maybe they can help us figure out how to defeat our enemies better," Indira suggested.

"Or where to find the Golden Crystal or that secret they talked about," Nerine added, "So we could protect them better."

"I hope we can remember more, then," Indira replied distantly.

"Maybe I'll come again tomorrow night," Nerine said, "It was a great play, after all. I just can't get it out of my head."

"Well, I should help with clean up," Indira said, coming back into herself, "I am on the tech crew after all."

Nerine laughed halfheartedly and waved to her. "I'll see you later then."

"See you," Indira replied, and pushed the door back into the theater open again, slipping inside.

***

A lone girl in her mid-teens with long indigo colored hair walked cautiously out of the Midway airport carrying only a backpack on her back for luggage. She glanced around, taking in her surroundings, then approached the nearest taxi waiting by the curb.

"What can I do for you, miss?" the cabby asked.

"Can you take me to Asatara?" she asked. Her voice was unsteady and miss-accented.

"Sure, hop in," the cabby answered.

Breathing a sigh of relief, she got into the door and pulled the door shut. Moments later, the taxi was speeding down the road.

"Where in Asatara did you want to go?" he asked.

"I'm sorry, please look at me when you speak," the girl requested, "I'm deaf."

"Oh, I'm sorry," he said. When they reached the next stop light, he turned to her and repeated, "I said, where in Asatara did you want to go?"

"There was a park on TV a few days ago because of some strange magical attacks. It was by a daycare," she answered, hoping that he had watched the news.

"Oh, that one," he said after thinking for a moment, "Yeah, I can get you there. Though, why would you want to go there at this time of night?"

"I am meeting someone there," she answered simply, and said no more.

***

"So you went to see a play with the other Terran Ladies tonight?" Pegasus asked from his chalice that evening.

Plopping unceremoniously down onto her bed beside him, Damia replied, "Yeah, and I can't get it out of my head. I think Indira was right."

"Right about what?" he asked, ears tilting forward in curiosity.

"She said that it kind of reminded her of our past lives," Damia explained. "Though I can't put my finger on how, I think it did. Well, the title was 'The Crystal Wood', first of all. It was written by a student at the school, a friend of Indira's named Caroline. It makes me wonder if she was one of us too. Indira said the idea for the play came to her in her dreams."

Shifting his stance and rustling his wings, Pegasus commented, "All seven of the Terran Soldiers have already awakened, but it is possible that this Caroline was one of the courtiers or priestesses of that era. Perhaps of Elysion, the Crystal Wood, itself. We can't know just how many people the queen of the moon rescued and sent forward in time."

"Then, do you think she could help us?" Damia asked.

"I doubt it," Pegasus answered. "She is only snatching at pieces of memories. To my knowledge, there was no one on Earth besides you soldiers, the Four Heavenly Generals, and the other six high priests that could have the power to assist us. The generals and the priests were all men."

"So that rules her out," Damia sighed. "I want this to be over, so I can go back to a normal life."

"I'm so sorry to bring this upon you, Damia," Pegasus said softly. "I wish I could be of more help to you."

"Don't say that," Damia snapped, but she was smiling, "You've been so helpful already. And you said yourself, this is what I was reborn for. If I didn't fight, who would?"

"My lady, I..." he stammered.

Falling back onto her bed and staring at the ceiling, she sighed again. "I just can't get that play out of my head. I really can't believe it was written by a girl my same age."

Pegasus nickered gently. "Tell me about this play," he requested, "I wish I could have seen it with you."

"Well, it was set in London in the 1940s, during World War II," Damia began, almost seeing the play before her eyes again as she spoke. "There were these six friends who got caught out during an air raid, but when the bombs started falling, they were magically transported to this mystical land, the Crystal Wood. There, they met the prince of the wood, and then..."

For Damia, it was impossible to tell when reality merged into dreams as she drifted off to sleep. She found herself in the role of the main character of the play. She frolicked in the woods, she transported back and forth from London, she mourned the death of her friends, and she made up her mind to go help in the war effort. But when she came to the point of tearful farewells, it was not the prince of the play that warmly clasped her hands in his.

Dressed all in white trimmed with pale blue, the man before her had soft white hair and a gentle smile. Despite the color of his hair, he seemed nearly her same age. She stared silently, wistfully up into his amber eyes; eyes that seemed all too familiar.

"Don't go," he whispered.

"I must," she began, but burst into tears. Instead of hurrying away, she buried her head in his chest and let silent sobs wash over her. He wrapped his arms comfortingly around her, but by his shaking, she could tell that he was crying silently too.

***

Paying her fare, a fragile looking girl stepped out of a taxi and onto the sidewalk. The taxi quickly drove away. Though the area was lit only by a single street light, she recognized it at once. She walked gingerly into the pea-gravel that surrounded the playground and made a pensive lap around the entire structure, finally settling onto one of the swings. _I'm here, _ she thought,_ s_winging herself gently back and forth. _ Now what?_


	13. Chapter 13

**Fate and Fortunes**

_Chapter 13_

Sailor Hemera awakened from her nightmares in an unfamiliar place. Unyielding darkness stretched out in every direction. She wasn't in her own bed, that much was certain. "Where am I? How did I get here?" she wondered out loud. Her voice fell strangely flat. Reaching out in front of her, her gloved hand met with a glass pane. She shivered and tried to step backwards, but was met by another invisible wall.

She was trapped and alone.

Suddenly, memories came rushing back. A gasp escaped her, "The Dead Moon Circus! I must be..."

Frantically, she pressed her hands against the glass pane in front of her and squinted out into the darkness. Slowly, slowly, her eyes began to adjust. She was able to make out the shape of a tall mirror, much the same shape and size as the red boards the Amazoness Trio had used to trap their victims. Reflected, no, trapped inside the mirror, she could see another small figure. The sailor uniform, small statures, and high ponytail gave her away.

"Malia!" she yelled, pounding at the glass, but the other girl took no notice.

It seemed like ages as she stared at her younger sister, watching and waiting for some sign of life from Malia, wondering where Tacita was.

Suddenly, Sailor Phlegethon looked up, straining to look through the darkness as Hemera had. Hemera waved madly until she saw her and returned the wave.

Quickly, Hemera signed to her, _'Are you alright? Where are we? Where is Tacita?'_

_'Yes, I'm okay, we're trapped by the Dead Moon Circus, and I don't know,'_ Sailor Phlegethon replied, _'Are you okay?'_

_'Yeah, I'm fine,'_ Hemera signed back sadly, _'But I guess this means we failed. I can't see Tacita anywhere.'_

_'Either they put her someplace else or she got away,'_ Phlegethon reasoned.

_'I want to believe that she got away. That way we still have hope,'_ Sailor Hemera signed, sighing.

_'There has to be a way out of here,'_ Sailor Phlegethon commented thoughtfully.

"Oh look, OspreyEye, the prisoners are waving at each other," OrcaEye mused as she slunk out of the darkness, OspreyEye following her. Somehow, although the sisters couldn't hear each other, her voice rang through loud and clear.

"You idiot!" OspreyEye snapped, "That's sign language. The brats are talking to each other."

"Here we thought that leaving you to look at each other would be torture in itself," OrcaEye said, flashing a threatening grin at both girls, "But it looks like we're going to have to separate you two."

"But first, there is something we need to know," OspreyEye said and suddenly plunged her hand through Sailor Phlegethon's mirror and took her by the throat, "Where is Sailor Cocytus?"

"I don't know," Phlegethon sputtered as the Amazoness woman lifted her clear off the ground.

"No!" Hemera screamed and pounded on the glass, "Leave her alone! We have no idea!" They ignored her.

"You're just trying to protect her," OspreyEye accused, "She is not in the circus any more. You would know where she would run to, wouldn't you?"

"No," Phlegethon stubbornly replied, growing pale, "I don't know."

"Who is Sailor Cocytus when she isn't a sailor?" OrcaEye demanded, stalking over to Phlegethon's mirror prison.

Coughing and sputtering, she answered, "I don't know!"

"Liar!" OspreyEye screamed and shook her violently before flinging her down. Sailor Phlegethon struck the back of her prison then crumpled to the ground, massaging her neck.

In a flash, OrcaEye stood in front of Sailor Hemera's prison. "Now we'll see if you will talk more than your friend here," she threatened.

"No matter how much you torture me, even to death, I will never betray Sailor Cocytus," she spat.

"You'd let us kill you first?" OrcaEye asked, "I find that hard to believe."

"What you hags fail to understand is the power of hope, friendship, and most importantly, love," she retorted confidently from behind her mirror. There was nothing they could do to her that she wasn't prepared to endure.

"Hags?" OrcaEye shrieked, bringing her hands to her face. "Take this, you insolent—" she thrust her hands forward and leaping dark lightning filled Sailor Hemera's tiny prison.

Hemera shrieked, the pain blinding her. She didn't know how long it went on for, but when she finally collapsed panting to the ground, both OrcaEye and OspreyEye were standing in front of her, wearing satisfied smirks on their faces.

With a snap of OspreyEye's fingers, the two mirrors rotated around backwards, facing away from each other. Now, all there was to see was blackness.

Ears still humming, Sailor Hemera was thankful, at least, that Tacita was still safe.

***

_Althea was in the midst of a great battle. Magical attacks flew in all directions, so much that she didn't know what was friendly fire and what was from the enemy. "We can't hold this line forever!" she found herself shouting, "I don't think we'll be able to keep them out of Elysion, at this rate."_

_A sailor she didn't recognize with long indigo colored hair edged up to her, yelling over the din of the fighting, "Then there's only one thing left to do. We have to seal Elysion and the other realms away."_

_Sailor Erebus nodded. Almost instantly, Sailor Elysion leaped in front of them and grasped each of their hands. She began to chant softly. Moments later, the three girls stood in the peacefully quiet woods of Elysion. The shift to silence was overwhelming to her ears._

_They were met almost immediately by a cluster of priests and priestesses from the Elysion high temple. "Quickly, seal off Elysion from the Earth," Erebus ordered Sailor Elysion and the crowd from the temple, "The fighting has gone bad and I don't think we can hold them off any longer. I'll go with Sailor Cocytus to the Great Library of Cocytus. We need to hide the Tome of the Secrets of the Realms away somewhere so it can't be used against us."_

"_But where would it be hidden best?" the indigo-haired sailor, Sailor Cocytus, pondered softly as she and Erebus started to take off at a run._

"_Wait," a young man from the temple called. He wore all white like the rest of his attendants and had striking amber eyes. "The secrets would be safest if they were hid in the dreams of someone."_

_Both Cocytus and Erebus stopped and stared quizzically at him. "In the dreams?" Erebus asked skeptically._

"_I can help you with that," he volunteered._

"_Thank you, High Priest," Sailor Cocytus said, bowing._

"_But whose dreams can we hide them in?" Erebus asked, thinking fast._

"_I am the guardian of the realm of Cocytus," Sailor Cocytus said, suddenly seeming braver than before, "It is my duty to protect the knowledge that is kept there, and this is no exception."_

"_It's settled then," Sailor Erebus concluded hurriedly. "Let's go."_

_She rushed off with Sailor Cocytus and the high priest behind her leaving Sailor Elysion and the rest of the temple attendants to seal Elysion away from the rest of the world._

Althea woke with a start, covered in sweat despite the cool morning air. Her heart was pounding in time with the buzzing of her alarm. "What was that?" she murmured, slowly sitting up and raising a hand to her forehead, "Was that the past?" Shaking herself, she got out of bed and headed out to the kitchen for breakfast.

***

Damia sat groggily at the kitchen table while the television blared the news not far away. Even though it was a Sunday, the sound of her mother's coffee grinder had woken her up early. Working lazily through a bowl of corn flakes, she hardly paid any attention to what was going on around her.

"Damia! Damia!" Caya suddenly called, bouncing up on the couch in front of the TV.

"What?" Damia asked.

"Look!" she pointed at the television screen, "Mirrors!"

Damia jolted out of her chair and rushed over to Caya.

On the screen, a young woman lay sprawled out on the grass, a pink rimmed mirror floating above her body.

"...isn't the first victim of these strange attacks that has been found in the last two days here in Anchorage. Police are urging citizens to take extreme caution when wandering alone. We do not know who or what is the cause of this. As of yet, doctors have been able to do nothing to revive the victims, who exist in a state similar to that of a coma..."

"It's just like at the play ground," Caya asserted.

"Yes, it is," Damia replied darkly. _What is the Dead Moon Circus doing in Anchorage, Alaska?_

"I wonder why the Sailors didn't save them," Caya asked innocently, but her question struck Damia to the heart.

_Because we can't be in two places at once. This is too impossible. We can't save everyone if they attack so far away. I wonder if the other three Sailors are up near there? I wonder why they didn't help..._

***

"Nerine!" her mother called from the kitchen, "Could you run out and get some eggs? We're all out."

"Yes Mom!" Nerine called back and switched off the TV.

As she headed for the front door, her mom appeared with a five dollar bill. "Just get me two dozen. I need them for the quiche I'm making," she said. "And don't forget to wear a jacket, it's getting cold out there."

Nerine smiled, "Okay Mom. I'll be right back." Pocketing the money, throwing on her jacket and slipping into a pair of shoes, she headed out the door. Her mother was right, there was a crisp chill in the air. Some of the brightly colored autumn leaves had already begun to turn brown and fall to the ground. Nerine happily shuffled her way through them down the sidewalk, enjoying the crunch beneath her feet. She inhaled deeply and smiled.

She didn't mind being sent on a spur-of-the-moment errand. The grocery store was only a few blocks away, and it was a beautiful morning. Besides, she didn't feel like starting her homework yet. This was procrastination that her mother couldn't reprimand her for.

As she passed an abandoned lot where her older brother used to play baseball with his friends, she stopped short. Instead of only brown grass mingled with patches of mud, there was a freshly paved patio and a gaudy purple tent set up with a sign in flashing lights over it that proclaimed, "Eclipse Fortune Telling!" Another sign propped up to the left of the tent read "Grand Opening: Free first-time readings!" Pouring out of the tent flap, there was already a huge line of excited looking teens.

Despite the flashing lights and soothing music, something seemed wrong about it. A shiver ran down her spine. She took a deep breath and rushed down the street towards the store, trying not to think about the fortune telling tent.

***

The curtains closed to thunderous applause on another successful production of 'The Crystal Wood.' Indira checked to make sure all of the lights were off before descending from the catwalk. The rest of the cast and crew was already assembled back stage by the time she arrived.

"You had a great audience for the matinee show today and I'm sure it will be even better for our final performance tonight," the director said, clapping his hands.

"Thanks so much for working so hard and putting on a great show, everyone," Caroline added. "The cast party is at my house tonight, so let's give our best show yet and celebrate afterward."

Several of the cast members cheered.

"And the crew is invited as well," she said, gesturing at the group of black-clad crew members hanging near the back of the group. A few of them cheered as well.

"You all have an hour and a half break to get some snacks, fresh air, or whatever, but I want everyone in the green room getting dressed again by 4:30," the director instructed.

With that, the cast filtered back towards the green room to change. As a group of priestesses brushed past her, she couldn't help but overhear their conversation.

"Did you hear about that new fortune telling place that just went up?" one asked.

"Yeah! It sounds great!" another replied enthusiastically, "My sister went this morning and she said it was creepy just how much they knew about her. And they said her boyfriend would propose to her by this spring!"

The other girls squealed in excitement.

"You know," one suggested, "Why don't we go during our break? I don't need a snack or anything, and I'm sure we can be back in time.

Indira sighed. _Isn't that a little bit irresponsible?_ But, she was just the spotlight tech, so it wasn't her place to tell them not to go so far away. She was starting for the door to catch some fresh air herself when the director caught sight of her.

"Indira," he called.

"Yes?" she asked, turning back to him.

"All of your cues that were supposed to be in blue were green this afternoon," he observed, "What happened?"

"I'm sorry I didn't notice it earlier," she apologized, "The blue film wasn't on my second light up there. It must have fallen off or something since the show last night."

"You didn't put a new one on during intermission?" he asked, somewhat accusingly.

"The light was still too hot to do anything like that," she explained, "I promise I'll cut a new one and mount it before the next show."

"Good," he nodded, "Thanks again for your hard work." With that, he too sauntered off stage.

Putting a new blue film on the spotlight turned out to be a bigger ordeal than Indira had expected. The only color they still had left in the scene shop was red. Upon realizing this, she excused herself, hopped in her car, and drove to the supply shop on the other side of town. By the time she got back, cut a new film cover for the light and mounted it, she had only five minutes to step outside and enjoy the sunshine.

When 4:30 rolled around, Indira wandered back inside to check in with the other lighting crew members.

Soon, the director wandered back stage muttering anxiously, "Where's my cast?"

"Someone is missing?" one of the other crew members asked.

"Someone?" he repeated, "I'm missing four priestesses, two extras, and one lead."

"I heard the priestess girls talking about going to that fortune telling place between shows," Indira offered, but as she spoke a feeling of foreboding washed over her. "I can go see if they're still there."

"Your light is fixed?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied shortly.

"You know where this place is?" he checked.

"Yes I do," Indira answered impatiently, "And I have a car, so I can get there and back in only a few minutes."

"Okay, be quick about it," he ordered, "And if you see any of the others, tell them to hurry back here too."

Indira didn't realize that she was running until she stopped, panting at her car. Putting the key in the ignition, she flipped open her phone and dialed Althea's number.

"Hello? Althea?"

"Indira? What is it?"

"A bunch of the cast disappeared to that new fortune telling place over our break and haven't come back."

"And?"

"And I have a really bad feeling about this. I bet the Dead Moon is behind it."

"What makes you say that?"

"I dunno, I just feel like it has to be."

"Okay, fine."

"Can you call up Nerine and Damia and tell them to get there as soon as possible? I'm going to check it out right now."

"Can do. Be careful, Indira."

She tore down the road the fastest route she knew and practically leaped out of her car when she arrived. A long line poured out of the tent, but there was no sign of the missing cast members. The longer she looked over the scene, the more certain she was that it had some evil purpose.

"I can't wait for the others to get here," she murmured, "The show has to go on." She glanced over the long line, then stubbornly strode towards the front of it. _This is no time for politeness._ She pushed past the girl in the very front and through the tent flap.

"Hey! No budging!"

The inside of the small tent was lit by flickering candle light. It seemed, just as she entered, the previous customer was being led out through another tent flap in the back.

"Welcome, please sit," a hoarse voice said. Until that moment, Indira hadn't noticed the hooded figure sitting at the table before her.

Giving the fortune teller a measuring stare, Indira took a seat across the table from him. Laid out on the starry tablecloth were cards, crystal balls, sticks, and everything else imaginable that could be used in fortune telling.

"There, that's better," the man said in a voice that Indira suspected was supposed to be soothing. She could not see his face in the shadows of his hood. "What questions do you have burning at your heart? Perhaps an unfulfilled dream?"

Indira was caught off guard for only a moment. She hadn't thought of anything to ask. "I had this dream that I would like interpreted," she said, laying out the bait. _If he doesn't react to this, I'll know I'm just imagining things._ "I was in this forest with mirror-like ponds and crystal everywhere. It was very peaceful, but then this pegasus appeared and kept telling me, 'Elysion! You have to save Elysion. Darkness is coming.' I guess at that point, I woke up."

"Very interesting," the man rasped, waving his hands around the crystal ball in the center of the table. Beneath the voluminous sleeves, only his fingertips were visible. "Very interesting," he repeated. Indira waited impatiently as the man took his time in speaking. "The pegasus is a sign of your beautiful dreams and great aspirations. He is encouraging you to take action on your dreams. A window of opportunity is coming your way."

"How convoluted," Indira muttered.

"Now, please exit through the back of the tent," he said, making a sweeping gesture in its direction.

Stiffly, Indira rose. _He didn't do anything yet, but he did associate Pegasus with dreams. I'm not out of this yet._

As she passed through the back of the tent, she found herself not back in the autumn sunlight but a much vaster tent; one that couldn't have fit in that empty lot. As the tent flap fell shut behind her, she struck a defensive stance, letting her eyes adjust to the light. Hundreds of people lay collapsed on the ground, dream mirrors filling the air at chest height. _Somewhere in here is the rest of our cast. _She wanted to look around, but didn't dare let her guard down.

"You dream of Pegasus and Elysion, eh?" TouTou mused, appearing out of nowhere.

"That doesn't happen to just anyone," ParPar joined him.

"I'd like a look at your beautiful dreams," NikNik laughed, appearing to her right. ParPar stood to her left and TouTou in front, she had nowhere to run.

TouTou raised his red sphere. _I've been through this before, _she thought grimly,_ it can't be any worse the second time. _Slowly, she lowered one hand towards her pocket where her silver transformation sphere was tucked away. _They'll know who I am if I transform now, but without the others here, I don't have much choice. _"What is going on here?" she demanded, trying to waste time.

"You won't remember a thing once this is over, so I guess we can tell you," TouTou bragged as he held his Amazon sphere still at the ready. NikNik shot him a warning glare, but he ignored it. "This is the perfect trap for beautiful dreamers," he explained, "They all want to know if their dreams will come true or how to achieve them."

"What about all of these people?" Indira demanded as she slipped her hand inside her pocket and took hold of the silver sphere, still not breaking her defensive stance.

"You ask too many questions," ParPar complained.

"I'm about to become one of them, aren't I?" Indira stalled.

"Well you heard her, she dreamed about Pegasus and Elysion," NikNik whispered across to ParPar, an ineffective gesture because both TouTou and Indira stood between them and heard it just as clearly. "She could be one of the—" he suggested but TouTou cut him off.

"Alright, enough stalling," TouTou declared, "Another one will be coming through any minute now." He raised the sphere and aimed it at Indira's chest.

She braced herself for it, still inwardly debating weather to transform or not. _If I don't, then I'll be useless when the others arrive. I can stop them from walking into a trap, but..._

"Red ball in—" TouTou began.

Indira grasped the sphere in her hand and pulled it out of her pocket, hoping it wasn't too late for her already.

Suddenly, there was a flash of daylight as a flap of the tent flew open. "Sky Shower Shatter!"

Silvery blue energy rained down on TouTou and the other two Amazon boys, shattering their concentration. Indira nearly dropped her own transformation sphere in surprise. "Who...?" she whispered.

Standing just behind ParPar was a slender girl with long indigo colored hair wearing a Sailor uniform in light purples and blues. _Another Sailor Soldier?_

"Quick, run," she urged Indira, "I can handle this."

Indira stood rooted to the spot she stood. "Who are you?" she asked even before her enemies could ask the same question.

"I am Sailor Cocytus, one of the Terran Soldiers, bound to protect beautiful dreamers," she announced. "Now go, before it's too late."

Suddenly, a small robed figure rushed through the tent flap and rammed clumsily into Indira's back. She whirled around. The fortune teller's hood fell back, revealing long blond hair and a youthful face: AthoAtho. "We're found out!" he stammered quickly, "They're here! The Sai—" Upon seeing Sailor Cocytus, he stopped short. "There were only supposed to be four of them," he complained as the tent flap behind him flew open again.

"Pure Energy Force!"

AthoAtho shrieked and dove out of the way, falling tangled in his robe.

Sailor Elysion, flanked by Sailor Aether and Sailor Erebus, stood proudly in the doorway.

"This stops here," Sailor Elysion said boldly. "You've gone too far this time."

Aether, meanwhile, noticed Sailor Cocytus' calm presence behind the Amazon Quartet. She nudged Sailor Elysion with her elbow and gestured in the stranger's direction.

Sailor Elysion blinked and stepped back, breaking her confident pose. "Who are you?" she asked.

"Sailor Cocytus," the girl answered quickly, "But it doesn't really matter now. We have a job to do."

Erebus, noticing Indira still caught in the middle of the confrontation, tapped Indira on the shoulder and pointed her thumb at the tent flap behind her. "It's empty now," she whispered softly and stepped aside.

Indira nodded and ducked between Erebus and Elysion into the smaller section of the tent. She didn't waste a moment. Raising the sphere that she still clutched in her hand, she yelled, "Nyx Terran Power, Makeup!" By the time Sailor Nyx emerged, a full fledged fight had broken out.

The Amazon Quartet dodged about, avoiding the rain of attacks from the Sailors, trying to use their victims and the dream mirrors that hovered above them as shields. Meanwhile the boys themselves made very few attempts to be offensive themselves. "Be careful!" Erebus shrieked, trying to get a good shot at NikNik.

Sailor Nyx rushed into the center of the fight, raising her staff into the air. "Lightning is quick and accurate," she murmured thoughtfully. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on the positions of each of the four circus boys, then called out, "Dark Thunderbolt Strike!"

All four shrieked and went down, writhing in the lightning that jumped over them.

"Get out of here you brats," she roared, "The show is over."

The Amazon Quartet, still wincing, eyed her fearfully while Elysion, Aether, and Erebus stared at her in wonder, and Cocytus regarded her curiously.

"You think one well-placed lightning bolt is enough to scare us off?" TouTou demanded, full of bravado as he struggled to rise to his feet.

"I'm out of here!" ParPar announced nervously and disappeared, his blue sphere flitting away.

"If ParPar is gone, I'm not staying," NikNik agreed. "I don't like three on five odds." He too disappeared, leaving only a blue sphere behind to float off after ParPar's.

"Wusses," TouTou cursed, "We can still take 'em, AthoAtho."

"For once, I think NikNik is right," AthoAtho pointed out guiltily.

"But what are we going to tell that old hag Zirconia?" TouTou demanded.

"That there's a fifth one," AthoAtho answered and disappeared.

TouTou let out an angry yell. "I swear, we'll get you in the end," he threatened and disappeared as well. As he did, the tent, an illusion, flickered and faded away, leaving the five Sailor Soldiers standing in an old abandoned lot amidst all of the victims of the Amazon Quartet's scam. The long line of teens let out all sorts of confused cries and exclamations. Many unnerved potential customers hurried away, while others stayed to gawk at the spectacle left by the Terran Soldiers and Dead Moon Circus.

Glancing up at the sun, Nyx cursed, "Shoot! What time is it? I need to find those cast members and get them back to the theater. Hurry, help me get all of these mirrors back in."

Without another word, all five got to work, stepping gingerly among all of the fainted bodies and pushing the mirrors back towards their rightful owners. All of the missing actors were among them. As they began to come to, groaning, the sailors all slipped away.

Sailor Erebus turned to the newcomer as they went, "Sailor Cocytus, we need to talk."

She nodded, "Yes we do, but as soon as I loose my transformation, I loose my hearing as well. It will be difficult to converse."

"Then we'll find some kind of safe place where you can be Sailor Cocytus while we talk," Aether suggested.

"But I need to get back to the theater," Indira pointed out, having already dropped her transformation. Where can I meet you after the show?"

"My house," Sailor Aether offered, "Mom always says that I don't have friends over nearly often enough."

"Fine," Erebus agreed.

"I'll see you then," Nyx nodded and turned on her heels, running back towards the abandoned lot, "For now, I need to round up some actors."

***

As soon as Indira arrived at the Chailyn residence, she was happily fed left-overs from the dinner that everyone else had already eaten by Nerine's parents. Wolfing it down as quickly and graciously as she could, she thanked them, declined ice cream, and moved into Nerine's room with the others.

Sailor Cocytus had already transformed quietly in Nerine's closet. In case anyone barged in unexpectedly, Nerine outfitted her with a bulky hoodie sweatshirt and a long skirt. Between the two, a quick glance wouldn't betray that she was really a Sailor Soldier.

"Sorry if I'm asking questions they already did," Indira said as she settled in on the floor with the others, "But what's your name when you're not Sailor Cocytus?"

"It's alright," Cocytus said, waving her hand, "I'm Tacita Trey and I live in Anchorage, Alaska with my family, at least recently, anyway. As Tacita, I have been deaf my whole life, but as Sailor Cocytus, I can suddenly hear."

"What else do I need to catch up on from while I was at the play?" Indira asked.

"Nothing really," Althea answered. "We weren't about to start without you. We were hanging out with Nerine's family, at any rate."

"Well," Sailor Cocytus said, feeling shy under the gazes of the four girls who already seemed to know each other so well, "I suppose I should start. My sisters are Sailor Hemera and Sailor Phlegethon. We have been fighting the Dead Moon Circus for the past several weeks as well."

"Your sisters?" Nerine exclaimed.

Cocytus nodded, "I feel lucky that we were already so close when Helios came to us and asked for our help."

"Helios?" Damia asked, "Who's Helios?"

"You don't know him?" she asked, surprised, "I would have thought he would have found you too." Seeing Damia's intent stare, she laughed nervously and apologized, "I'm sorry. I'm just not used to this. I've never been able to hear or talk until we got this new power, and when I'm transformed, I've never really had conversations like this before."

"No, it's okay," Nerine reassured her, "Take your time."

Laughing nervously again, she continued, "My sisters and I were walking home from school one day when we saw something down in the riverbed. It turned out that it was Helios and he was being chased by the Amazoness Trio."

"The Amazoness Trio?" Althea asked.

"OrcaEye, OspreyEye, and LionEye," Cocytus explained, "They're these three women who work for the Dead Moon Circus. They have been attacking people to check out their dream mirrors back home like your Amazon Quartet has been here." She paused and took a deep breath then continued, "Anyway, Helios looked hurt, so we went down to help him. He recognized us and gave us our transformation spheres and told us to run away and hide, but when the Amazoness Trio came and tried to attack him, we couldn't just watch, so we transformed. They cornered him, but his spirit escaped in the form of a great white winged horse—a pegasus."

"Pegasus!" Nerine and Damia gasped.

"His name is Helios?" Althea observed.

Sailor Cocytus nodded, "That's what he said it was anyway."

"So that's how you got your powers, but that doesn't explain why you're here and not up there fighting with your sisters," Indira observed measuringly.

"Yeah, I just saw on the news this morning that a bunch of people have been found with their dream mirrors taken out," Damia added, "Though, of course, the news people didn't know that's what had happened."

Sailor Cocytus winced and looked at the ground. "It's because my sisters and I failed," she answered quietly.

"What do you mean," Damia asked hesitantly, "by failed?"

Still staring intently at her hands, she answered, "They set up a real circus in Anchorage and used it to lure in tons of people to attack and look at their dream mirrors. We went for the first show and managed to stop them from taking everyone's mirrors, but thought it would be too much to do that every night. We couldn't keep it up. So we decided that they had to be stopped once and for all. The next night, we snuck into the circus and got all the way up to Zirconia's tower room where she talks with their leader, Queen Nehelenia, through a mirror. But there we were defeated. They captured Charisse and Malia, I mean, Sailor Hemera and Sailor Phlegethon."

"But not you? How did you get away?" Indira asked.

"I," she stammered, finally looking up and meeting their eyes, "I honestly don't know. A voice in my head told me to run, so I did. I didn't know where I was going, only that I was running. I felt like the whole army of the Dead Moon was behind me. Finally I wound up in the open air, on top of the circus. I heard the voice again, telling me to jump. I was afraid, but I could hear them close behind me, so I did. I feel, but something caught me and brought me down to safety. It was dark and I couldn't really see well, but I do remember a pair of great white wings."

"I wonder..." Damia started softly but trailed away.

"And now you're here," Althea prompted her.

"How did you find us?" Indira asked.

"The morning that we decided to attack the circus, we saw you on TV," she explained, "Fighting the Amazon Quartet in some playground. I knew I couldn't face the Dead Moon alone after I lost my sisters, so I decided that I had to come find you. I know my parents will be worried, but my mom is on a business trip to Russia and Dad is so busy with work, he will hardly miss us. I also knew that I would have to leave Anchorage undefended, but I wouldn't have been able to stop them alone anyway. I thought that here, if I joined you, maybe I could tip the balance."

"But how did you find us today?" Althea persisted.

"I figured it I kept alert and hung around Asatara, I would find the Dead Moon Circus up to something, and if I found them, I would find you," she answered.

"Good thinking," Indira said, nodding.

"I think you'll be a great addition to our team," Damia said after a pause, "You know how to get around inside the circus and you've seen their leaders. I think you and your sisters might have had the right idea. We can't just stay on the defense."

"But you should take more care and planning in it than we did," she cautioned them, yawning, "It's one thing to defeat them easily on the streets. It's another to fight them in their stronghold."

"So how much do you remember of the circus tent?" Althea asked, "Like, how did you get to the top?"

Yawning broadly, she tried to speak through her yawn, "Well, maybe things changed, but..." The yawn got the better of her.

"You must be jet-lagged," Nerine observed, "If you only got here last night."

"Yeah, a little bit," she admitted.

"Why don't we call the quits for tonight and meet again tomorrow after school?" Indira suggested. "I'll see if I can beg my way out of doing strike for the show."

"No, no," Sailor Cocytus protested halfheartedly, "I can stay up longer if needed. This is important."

"I think Indira is right," Damia admitted, "If we're tired, we'll be weaker against the enemies. Sleep is a good idea. Do you have a place to stay?"

"My parents already said it would be okay if she stayed here," Nerine answered for her.

"Well, maybe Nerine can fill you in on what we've been doing tomorrow morning, if you're up," Damia added.

Sailor Cocytus nodded wearily.

Rising to her feet, Indira offered, "Well, I can drive you two home, if you want."

"Thanks Indira, that would be great," Althea accepted her offer.

"Yeah, thanks," Damia agreed.

Both Nerine and Sailor Cocytus stood to see them off. "See you tomorrow," Nerine called as they went. By the time she turned around again, the skirt and sweatshirt she had lent to Sailor Cocytus lay in a pile on the floor and Tacita Trey stood in her place, wearing jeans and a sweater.

***

Damia was exhausted when she finally got home, but she had too much on her mind to fall asleep. Damia sat at the head of her bed with her knees pulled up to her chest, blankets tucked warmly around her, but she didn't turn out the light or lay down. Her violet eyes were wide open. "Pegasus?" she called softly, hoping he would answer. She needed his company.

In a twinkling, he appeared at the top of his chalice and her heart leaped. "Yes, my lady?" he asked, then observed, "You are home late tonight."

"Sailor Cocytus has come here," she said plainly.

"Sailor Cocytus? Here?" he asked, panic in his voice. His ears flattened back against his head. "Why?"

"She and her sisters tried to attack the Dead Moon Circus head-on, but the other two got captured, so she came here to help us," Damia asked, watching him for reactions.

"Captured!" he echoed, "So that's what I felt. How terrible! If only..."

"She said when she escaped the circus, someone with huge white wigs carried her to safety," Damia pressed right to the point that was foremost in her mind, "Was that you?"

He tossed his head, "No. I have been here, close by, all along. But perhaps..."

"Perhaps what?" she persisted.

"The avatar of the High Priest of Cocytus is a great white snowy owl," he explained, "Perhaps he too has awakened and is trying to assist as well. But I wonder, how could she find you here?"

"That day at the daycare, we got broadcast on TV and she saw it," Damia answered, "Today the Amazon Quartet had set up a fortune telling tent to lure in victims. We went to stop them, but she found them first."

"You didn't call on me today," he observed, almost inflected as a question.

"The fight was short," Damia explained shortly "Nyx put up a big show and scared them away, that and us being five against four."

"I am glad that none of you were harmed then," he said. There was a long silence between them, Damia not meeting his eyes. "My lady, is something wrong?" he asked at last, "Tonight you seem..."

"She said that your name was Helios. Is that true?" Damia asked at last. The question came out more bitterly than she had intended.

"I—my lady, I'm sorry," he stammered, "Yes it is. My name is Helios."

"Then why didn't you tell me? I thought you trusted me. I thought we were..." she trailed away as tears rose to her eyes. "I'm sorry," she said more softly, "I'm tired. This shouldn't be such a big deal."

"I didn't want to put you in danger," he said softly, "If you knew my name, it might make a target of you."

"A target? How?" Damia asked, "Why did you tell her then?"

"I was scared. I wasn't thinking," he said apologetically, looking away, "I hadn't assumed this form when she and her sisters found me."

"I guess," she said slowly, "you don't want me to call you that, then?"

"My lady, I..." he started but fell silent.

"You never call me by my name either," Damia accused. "Why?"

"Because it seems right," he replied with a bit more confidence, "I am a priest of Elysion and so you are my lady."

"It just," she sighed, "seems so formal."

He laughed quietly, "You never did like that kind of formality."

"Of course not," she replied quickly, then realized what a strange comment it was. "What do you mean?" she asked. "In my past life? You make it sound like we knew each other well. What was it like back then?"

"Ah," he stammered, "You need to get some rest, my lady. Now that Sailor Cocytus is here, I'm sure your enemies will fight even harder. I would hate for anything to happen to you."

"Fine," she sighed, worming down into her covers. As she reached out to switch off her lamp, she said warmly, "Goodnight Helios."

Through the darkness, she didn't seem him blush before disappearing back into his chalice.


	14. Chapter 14

**Secrets**

_Chapter 14_

"_Elysion, Erebus, Cocytus!"_ _Sailor Hemera shouted as soon as they reappeared, "You're back!"_

"_Is it safe?" Sailor Phlegethon asked urgently, "Are the seven realms sealed off?"_

_Sailor Cocytus nodded grimly._

"_The high priest of Elysion hid the Tome of the Secrets of the Realm away in her dreams," a sailor in a purple and green uniform said, but Hemera was distracted by the darkness that advanced around them. She didn't see to whom she pointed._

"_Something has changed," the gray-clad soldier who had just arrived observed darkly, "What has changed?"_

"_The fighting has moved elsewhere," Sailor Cocytus observed, "But the darkness on Earth has spread."_

"_That woman, Beryl, she is totally possessed by the evil spirit Queen Metalia," Sailor Hemera explained quickly, "The Earth Kingdom was about to fall when she rallied all of the armies, even our own, to attack the Silver Millennium on the Moon."_

"_Then we have to go to the Moon and stop them! Metalia can't be allowed to have her way!" a sailor that Charisse didn't recognize dressed in sky blue and yellow exclaimed. She seemed to have been fighting by her side all along._

"_No," another sailor in dark blue and yellow argued, "It isn't our duty to protect the Moon. The Silver Millennium has its own guardians. We have to protect the Earth Kingdom and its heirs."_

"_Sailor Nyx is right," Hemera found herself saying, "We can't stay out here fighting shadows on this snowy battlefield. Beryl and her armies will return, wanting to claim the Earth as well. We need to be by the King's side when that happens. Everyone, join hands. We have to hurry or it may be already too late."_

_The seven Terran Soldiers linked hands and called out, "Sailor Teleport!"_

"Wake up you two," a voice ordered, breaking Sailor Hemera out of her trance, "What do you think this is? A five-star hotel?"

Feeling a spinning sensation, she found her mirror prison pivoting around again to face Phlegethon's again. She was relieved to see her younger sister in one piece, but now all three members of the Amazoness Trio stood between them.

"Are you ready to tell us the secrets of the Old Earth now?" OrcaEye asked dangerously, "Or do you need us to prompt you again?"

Rising to her feet in the narrow prison, Hemera said defiantly, "Nothing you can do to me will make me give in."

"Oh, we'll see about that," LionEye retorted with a sly smile.

***

The five girls met again after school at Nerine's house. Her parents were still at work and, her brothers both stayed after school for one activity or another, so they had the house to themselves. Even so, Sailor Cocytus was outfitted with the hoodie and long skirt once again. There was no harm in being careful.

"So, did Nerine fill you in on what has been going on around here, Tacita?" Althea asked once they had all settled comfortably into Nerine's living room.

She nodded, "It seems that you have faced much the same as we have, although the Dead Moon Circus was much bolder on our front."

"I'd bet it is only a matter of time before they try the same techniques here," Indira said.

"It would be best if we can stop them before it gets to that point," Cocytus advised quietly, "My sisters and I managed to stump them once in the performance ring, but I doubt they'll fall for the same thing twice."

"So you're saying that we should move to attack them at their headquarters first?" Althea clarified.

"Yes, and very soon," she replied, nodding, "but we must plan much more carefully."

"And that's where your having been there before comes in handy," Nerine pointed out.

"So, where do we start with this?" Damia asked.

"Well, what do you all know?" Sailor Cocytus asked.

"I think," Nerine started hesitantly, "Well, I don't know..."

"What is it?" Althea asked.

"I feel like I'm starting to remember my past life," she answered slowly.

"You're kidding!" Damia exclaimed.

"No, she's not," Indira interrupted firmly, "I am too."

"And me too," Althea added.

"Wait, all of you can remember what it was like back then?" Damia asked enviously.

"Well, not everything," Althea explained, "I don't know about you guys, but my memories all come in little flashes. Sometimes it doesn't make any sense at all."

Both Indira and Nerine nodded in agreement.

"So why haven't I remembered anything yet?" Damia demanded.

"I don't know," Indira shook her head, "The memories come at unexpected times. Maybe it takes certain prompts to happen and you haven't been in the right place at the right time yet."

"Well..." Damia started huffily but let it go.

"What did you remember?" Cocytus asked, "Maybe it could help all of us."

"In the clearest one," Nerine started, "We all were meeting with the Earth King and some generals of his. I think your sisters were there too, Tacita. Everyone was talking about how war was coming and how we had to be careful of an evil spirit."

"And what about you, Indira?" Damia asked.

"When I was watching the play on opening night, when the girls finally leave the crystal wood, that made me first remember," she explained, "I remember leaving Nyx and saying goodbye to the high priest there. I think the war that Nerine just talked about was starting. The priest seemed to know that I wouldn't come back alive."

Without prompting, Althea narrated, "I guess what I saw was after that. We were all fighting off this army that seemed to be possessed by evil. I think everything was going bad for us, so we realized that we had to seal up Elysion and the other secret realms. I went with Sailor Elysion, and you, I guess, Sailor Cocytus. You said something about how we had to hide away this tome of secrets from a library in Cocytus. The high priest of Elysion came along to help, saying something about putting it in someone's dream."

"You mean, Pegasus?" Nerine exclaimed.

"No, Helios," Damia said quietly.

Sailor Cocytus seemed completely distracted.

"_Freyr!" Tacita heard herself yelling as she pounded up a spiral staircase in silvery white stone. Two more sets of footsteps ran behind her. An instant later, she reached the top and burst into a library stocked from floor to ceiling with books on silver shelves._

_The elderly high priest was already there to meet them. Eyes wide, he exclaimed, "My lady! Sailor Erebus and High Priest Helios! What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be defending the Earth King?"_

_Sailor Erebus stepped forward, "The Earth Kingdom is falling. The armies of darkness want to get at the power of the secret realms. Sailor Elysion is already beginning to seal off Elysion's entrance."_

"_And you want to make sure the other six realms stay safe as well," he said pensively, growing pale, "I see."_

"_The Tome of the Secrets of the Realms, where is it?" Sailor Cocytus asked quickly._

"_Safely locked away in my private study," the High Priest of Cocytus answered slowly. "You would destroy it then rather than let it fall into their hands?"_

"_No," Helios said firmly, stepping forward. Tacita noticed for the first time that he had that strange golden horn on his head. "I can hide it in her dreams. No one will find it there," he explained._

"_Very well," the aging priest nodded sadly._

"_Hurry, take us to it!" Sailor Erebus reminded him._

_The four of them ran across the library, through the stacks, and up another hidden set of stairs as fast as the elderly priest could lead them. Finally, they stood in his warmly-lit study. Along all the walls were rows upon rows of even older, more magical looking books than any they had passed by on their way. The priest stooped down and produced a heavy wooden box inlaid with gold, silver, and precious stones in delicate patterns. Pressing his hand to the lock, the lid lifted open on its own accord. Gingerly, he lifted out an old book with a silver cover and yellowing pages. "Here it is," he announced wistfully, "All the secrets of our hidden realms together in one bound volume." Turning to Helios and the two sailors, he said, "Do what you must to keep it safe."_

_Lowering his eyes, Helios said, "I'm sorry for what this may do to you." Then, straightening up to his full height, he extending his arms towards Sailor Cocytus. He took a deep breath, then drew them back towards his own chest on one quick movement._

_Sailor Cocytus screamed as pain welled up in her chest and fainted back into Sailor Erebus' arms. She was only dimly aware of the mirror that materialized out of her chest and of the frightened gasps from her high priest. Helios took the tome from the other priest's shaking hands and plunged it into the mirror that floated in front of Sailor Cocytus. She screamed again. Suddenly, total silence washed over her._

_Helios pushed the mirror back inside of her body and sound returned. Breathing hard, Sailor Erebus helped her to stand again._

"_It's done then?" the high priest of Cocytus asked._

_Helios nodded._

"_That silence..." Sailor Cocytus began._

"_Of course," the older priest replied. "I didn't think of it before. The secrets want to stay secret. They will blanket you in silence. With your power as a Sailor Soldier, I think you will be able to overcome their curse, but when you are not a sailor, you will become the silent Secret Keeper."_

"_I'm sorry," Helios apologized._

"_No need to apologize, Priest," Tacita said boldly, "I said I would do this, and I will. I am the guardian of Cocytus and all of the knowledge kept therein."_

Suddenly, Althea remembered another detail. "When we were rushing off to Cocytus, Helios said that he would hide the tome of secrets in—" she exclaimed.

"In me," Sailor Cocytus said almost mystically. "I am the Secret Keeper."

"Wait, what?" Damia stammered.

"I just remembered," Cocytus answered, "Just now while you were talking. Those secrets are why I'm deaf when I'm not transformed. 'The secrets want to stay secret.'"

"So that means..." Indira started slowly.

"So that means we need to do everything we can to protect you," Damia said boldly. "We can't let those secrets fall into their hands."

"Do you think we could use those secrets ourselves to defeat the Dead Moon?" Althea asked.

"Not unless you can pry out my dream mirror yourselves," Cocytus replied, shaking her head.

"Technicalities," Althea scoffed.

"To think that all this time they were looking for me," Sailor Cocytus said softly. "Because of me and what I hide, Malia, Mrs. Lindell, and all those others got attacked."

"Don't start feeling guilty," Indira warned her, "It's not because of you. It's because of the Dead Moon's greed. If not for them, those secrets could have stayed away peacefully until you grew old. They're the ones who are doing the attacking, after all."

"You're right, Indira," she replied, "And that's why we have to stop them."

"So, with all of this in mind, let's plan our attack on the Dead Moon Circus," Althea urged.

***

Sailor Hemera screamed, writhing uncontrollably in the black lightning that filled her mirror prison. White thunder filled her ears and the pain that lanced through all of her nerves nearly blinded her. Suddenly it stopped and she collapsed slowly to the ground, her muscles not obeying her will. As blood roared in her ears, she could dimly hear the Amazoness Trio laughing. Feeling something wet running down her face, she shakily raised a hand to her nose and wiped it away. Her glove came away stained with blood. Breathing raggedly, she glared up at her captors.

"You must know something that can help us make way for our beautiful Queen Nehelenia," LionEye asserted. "Why don't you be a good little girl and tell us?"

Sailor Hemera wanted to curse them under every awful name she knew, but she didn't trust her voice, hoarse after so much screaming. _I'll never tell. They'll have to kill me first._ Instead, she glared defiantly up at them.

"For some pathetic little sailor, this one sure has some spunk," OspreyEye commented. "Let's try the other one for a while, then."

The trio turned their backs on Sailor Hemera to face Sailor Phlegethon instead. Horrified by her sister's torture, she cowered as far back in the corner of her tiny prison as she could.

"Your turn, brat," OspreyEye said almost giddily. She snapped her fingers and black lightning filled Phlegethon's mirror cage. Malia screamed, bending and contorting wildly.

Unable to bear it yet unable to look away, Sailor Hemera watched wide-eyed in horror.

"Tell us what we want to know!" OspreyEye demanded over her screaming.

When Phlegethon didn't respond, the lightning intensified, as did her screams.

"No! Stop!" Sailor Hemera begged, shrieking, "Leave her alone! Leave my little sister alone!"

"Your sister?" Raising an eyebrow, LionEye slowly pivoted around. "We'll trade her life for your secrets," she offered venomously. The look in her eyes suggested that she knew she had already won.

Looking down at the floor she admitted, tears in her eyes, "One of the Sailors has it."

"Which one?" LionEye demanded.

"I don't know!" Hemera cried, "Just stop hurting Malia!"

"Fine," OrcaEye said darkly and snapped her fingers. The lightning receded and Sailor Phlegethon collapsed. "That's a good start," she said, then warned, "But if we find out you've lied, then you'll have hell to pay. Both you and your little sister."

Sailor Hemera swallowed hard and prayed, for Malia's sake, that what she learned in her vision was right. The three Amazoness women slipped away into the darkness, laughing. This time, they didn't bother to face the two mirrors away from each other. Not that it mattered. Sailor Phlegethon was unconscious and Sailor Hemera's hands shook too badly to be able to sign. It was another torture in itself.

***

"So we know the route you took and we know what traps to avoid once we're inside the circus," Althea concluded, jotting down a few more notes on the pad of paper she had scrounged up in Nerine's kitchen. The news on the TV chattered in the background.

"But there remains the problem of getting in," Indira reminded them.

"You had the circus right there where you could see it," Damia said, "but we don't even know where they are hiding around here."

"I wonder if we could use our powers to fly back to Anchorage and use the entrance there," Sailor Cocytus mused. As if remembering something else, she said slowly, "Sailor Teleport."

"Sailor Teleport," Nerine echoed. "I think maybe we could do it."

"Then there's the question of when," Althea said, tapping her pen on the pad.

"I hate to suggest this," Indira started, "But we need to go as soon as possible. It's too late today. I say we get a good night's sleep and go first thing tomorrow morning, skipping school."

"But that would make us truant!" Nerine protested.

"What's more important, your school record or the safety of this world?" Indira demanded.

Nerine sighed, "I guess you're—"

Damia's attention was glued to the television screen. "Guys, look," she pointed at it, stunned.

"...just received word of an urgent hostage situation at Asatara Elementary School where the annual Fun Fair is underway. Here is Ben Guy live at the scene bringing you the most recent updates on the situation."

"I'm here at Asatara Elementary School where a strange hostage situation has just taken place. We don't know yet the motives or the means but—"

Suddenly the camera fuzzed and bounced around. The reporter fell to the ground, yelling in surprise. The camera angled downward to focus on a young boy with long blond hair.

"AthoAtho!" Nerine exclaimed.

"Sailor Soldiers, I hope you're watching," he said with a sinister grin, "Because you have half an hour to show up here for a nice little chit-chat or we're going to start destroying these kids' dreams." With a smile he added, "See you soon."

The TV went black for a moment before the station recovered control. "I'm very sorry, we don't know what that just was, but the local law enforcements are on the scene now. We will bring you updates as often as..."

"That's too bold," Indira said. Her face was paling.

"We don't have much of a choice, do we?" Damia replied.

"We do have a choice," Althea argued standing up, "We can either walk into their trap unprepared or we can be ready for them. We'll have to be wary, but we can still beat them at their game."

"Althea is right," Sailor Cocytus said as she pushed down her hood and stood as well. "We are Sailor Soldiers. We're not powerless and we're not stupid."

Damia pursed her lips and took a deep breath. Glazing around the room at her four companions she stood and took her transformation sphere in her hand. Throwing it into the air, she yelled, "Elysion Terran Power, Makeup!"

"Nyx Terran Power, Makeup!"

"Aether Terran Power, Makeup!"

"Erebus Terran Power, Makeup!"

***

The five Terran Soldiers stood on the sidewalk in front of the main entrance of the elementary school. Through the classroom windows, they could see children and parents huddled fearfully together, strange looking circus creatures keeping watch over them.

"So," Sailor Elysion said nervously.

"We could just walk in," Sailor Erebus suggested.

"You don't need to do that," AthoAtho said as he strutted calmly out of the school, ParPar, NikNik, and TouTou behind him.

"What is the meaning of this?" Sailor Erebus demanded.

"We wanted to get your attention," NikNik replied.

"And it worked," ParPar added gleefully.

"So you want another fight?" Sailor Nyx asked, threateningly, "Even after we've beat you every other time?"

"No, actually," AthoAtho said, a smile spreading across his face. "We want that secret tome."

"Hand it over right now," ParPar demanded, suddenly aiming his blue ball at the group of sailors.

"Even if we knew were it was, we wouldn't give it to you brats!" Nyx snapped.

"One of you is the Secret Keeper," TouTou said accusingly, pointing at them.

Tacita paled and stepped closer to Sailor Erebus.

"We don't know what you're talking about," Sailor Aether said defiantly.

"Where did you hear that?" Sailor Cocytus asked urgently over her.

TouTou laughed maliciously. "One of our prisoners finally got chatty," he answered enigmatically.

"Hemera! Phlegethon!" Cocytus gasped quietly.

"I don't know what you meant to accomplish by this, but we're not giving you anything!" Erebus proclaimed.

"Now get out of here and let these kids go!" Sailor Elysion ordered.

"No way!" NikNik retorted. "Not until we get what we want!"

"Enough of this," Sailor Nyx muttered then leaped into action, "Dark Thunderbolt—!" she began, but the Amazon Quartet was faster. They had learned their lesson the last time.

All four targeted their attention towards her. ParPar dove for her legs, taking her down while TouTou and AthoAtho targeted her with blazing energy. She screamed, loosing her hold on her weapon. NikNik dove in and seized it. He came up holding it aggressively before him.

"Nyx!" Elysion screamed.

"Pegasus, help us!" Aether cried. Instantly, Pegasus appeared hovering above them.

Sailor Erebus whirled into action. "Mystic Revival!" she called. Soft gray light radiated from her fingers and enveloped Sailor Nyx. The Amazon Quartet jumped back in surprise. Even before the light faded away, Sailor Nyx rose to her feet and glared down NikNik, who still grasped her staff. It began to crackle with lightning up and down the long shaft. Yelping, NikNik dropped it and Sailor Nyx calmly bent down to reclaim it.

As soon as she was safely away from their enemies, the other Sailors resumed their attacks.

"Aether Echo Reverberation!"

"Crisis Melody!"

"Cocytus Wind Inflection!"

Each met its target, knocking down AthoAtho, ParPar, and TouTou. Panting and glaring at the Sailor Soldiers, TouTou stood again. "Enough! Which one of you is the Secret Keeper?" he demanded.

High above, Pegasus whinnied.

"Forget it, twerp!" Nyx snapped, pointing her staff at him. ParPar nervously backed away from him.

"I asked you nicely," he growled then snapped his fingers.

Three children suddenly appeared behind him. Startled, they shrieked and huddled more closely together. The other three circus boys took quick aim with their spheres and shot the three children straight through the chest. They screamed and wailed until three pink dream mirrors materialized. They slumped onto the sidewalk.

"No!" Sailor Cocytus gasped.

"So, unless you want us to shatter their dreams, hand over the Secret Keeper," AthoAtho said, moving confidently between his victims and his enemies.

Sailor Erebus and Aether stepped closer to Sailor Cocytus. Erebus laid a hand gently on her arm. Meanwhile, Sailor Elysion stared wide-eyed in disbelief.

Fury raged in Sailor Nyx's eyes. "Why you!" she screamed, "Nyx Temp—"

TouTou's pool cue materialized in both hands. He swung it hard, meeting with the first little girl's dream mirror with a crash. The child screamed for an instant then fell absolutely still as the silver fragments rained down on her.

Nyx lowered her staff and staggered backwards, mouth hanging open. "You didn't..." she whispered.

"So?" NikNik demanded of the sailors.

All five stood frozen to the spot, their voices caught in their throats.

"Or maybe only three kids isn't enough to convince you that we're serious," AthoAtho suggested.

"What?" Sailor Erebus demanded.

"Get them all," AthoAtho ordered. Smiling, pool cues appeared in all of their hands. They turned to face the school, took aim, and fired off all four of their spheres into the main entrance.

Moments later, scream after scream resounded throughout the school. Through the classroom windows, they could see people fall to the ground, one by one like dominoes, as their dream mirror materialized out of their chest.

The screams rang on for at least a minute until the four spheres finally returned to their owners.

"We can break all of them the same way we just took them out," ParPar bragged as he tested the weight of his sphere in his hand.

All five of the sailors remained silent and still.

"Well, I guess we can start here," TouTou said, raising his cue again, ready to smash the second and third mirrors.

"No!" Sailor Elysion screamed and stepped forward, breaking the others out of their terrified stupor. "Don't destroy any more dreams." All four of the Amazon boys stared at her expectantly. She swallowed, took a deep breath, then said, "Take me."

"Sailor Elysion!" Cocytus cried, "No, don't!"

Pegasus whinnied frantically again, flapping his wings wildly.

Smiling sadly, she looked back at the others, "I have to do this. It's our duty to protect beautiful dreamers, remember?" Facing the Amazon Quartet again, she admitted, "I am the Secret Keeper."

"No! My lady! You can't!" Pegasus's anxious voice resounded in her head.

Startled, she looked up. His amber eyes looked down on her pleadingly. "I have to," she whispered.

Laughing, ParPar drew back his pool cue and shot. The sphere rammed straight through Sailor Elysion's chest.

"Damia!" Pegasus screamed. This time, everyone heard his gentle voice. Cocytus, Nyx, and Aether stared up at him in surprise while Erebus' gaze remained glued on Sailor Elysion.

She screamed, but rather than collapsing like any of their previous victims, she hung suspended limply in the air. The mirror that spiraled out of her was framed in shining gold. NikNik gasped while TouTou grinned broadly.

Almost instantly, the mirror began to glow. The spirit of Pegasus flickered and faded away above them. As soon as it had gone, another image of Pegasus leaped out of Sailor Elysion's mirror and soared into the sky, trailing glittering gold light behind him. The mirror's color slowly changed to pink and Sailor Elysion finally fell limply to the ground.

Tears flowing out of her unfocused violet eyes, she whispered raggedly, "Helios..."

"That was something," NikNik commented.

"Come on, let's get back to the circus!" AthoAtho urged.

TouTou dove for Sailor Elysion, pushing her mirror back in and grabbing her hand all in one motion. He and the others, Sailor Elysion with them, disappeared in a flash.

"No," Sailor Aether murmured, close to tears, "Sailor Elysion."

"Why did she have to go and do something stupid like that?" Sailor Erebus cried.

"Another one," Tacita sighed, "gone..."

Sailor Nyx stood in grim silence, staring up at the sky where Pegasus had gone.

***

The Amazon Quartet appeared under the big top with Sailor Elysion between them to ghastly cheers. Before she could react, her hands were bound and she was dragged to her feet. She was too numb to do anything but let them have their way. The neither eerie laughter nor the foreboding darkness phased her.

_I feel so...empty. What have I done?_

In a puff of smoke, Zirconia appeared upon her pedestal high above. "What's this?" she asked, pleasantly surprised, "Have you four finally done something right, for once?"

"This girl is the Secret Keeper, Zirconia," TouTou announced proudly.

"Sailor Elysion?" Zirconia asked, "All along it has been you, that thorn in our side, that had what we wanted?"

She said nothing but didn't look away.

"Did you take the Tome of the Secrets of the Realms from her?" she asked eagerly.

"No, Zirconia," NikNik responded.

"Well, then," she started pensively. Zircon, the winged eye, flitted down to the base of her massive staff. She swung it hard, like a golf club, and Zircon ricocheted around the tent like a mad pinball, finally striking her through the chest.

She screamed involuntarily again and collapsed. This time, somehow, hurt less than the first.

"That's different," NikNik observed, waiting for the mirror to turn gold again.

"What's different?" Zirconia asked suspiciously.

"Well, last time, the mirror was gold and then this Pegasus flew out of it," ParPar explained for him, "And then it turned pink just like this."

"You idiots!" Zirconia barked. "That was the Pegasus we're after! He has the Golden Crystal we want, and you four let him escape from her dreams while you just stood around and watched!"

"That was the..." AthoAtho stammered. "Zirconia, we didn't know!"

"Fools, all of you," Zirconia scolded, pacing back and forth. "Well, at least this girl is the Secret Keeper as well. What are you waiting for? One of you stick your head in there and pull out the old book."

Before any of the other three could move, ParPar plunged into the mirror. Moments later, he drew himself slowly out again. "There's nothing but dreams in there," he said quietly, looking at the floor.

"What did you say?" Zirconia asked, "I can't hear you."

"He said there's no book," NikNik announced for him.

"What?" Zirconia roared.

"She lied to us!" TouTou exclaimed quickly, "She said that it was her!"

"So she must have been protecting the real one," Zirconia mused. "She must know who it really is. This isn't a total loss. Take her back with the other two," Zirconia ordered, "I'm sure we can get her to talk as well."


	15. Chapter 15

**Memories in the Darkness**

_Chapter 15_

That night, Nerine's bedroom was again their sanctuary. They had made sure everyone in the elementary school was alright and had their dream mirrors returned, then numbly fled the scene. The four girls lounged dejectedly around the floor in her room. None had spoken since they greeted Nerine's family and asked permission for a sleepover.

"I can't believe she's gone," Nerine said at last, "Damia was the first one of us. She was the leader, in a way, always talking to Pegasus and stuff."

"She did what none of the rest of us were strong enough to do," Indira lamented, "I could blast those brats to hell with my lightning, but I couldn't sacrifice myself to save Tacita and those secrets."

"I wish," Nerine said wistfully, "I was as brave as Damia."

"Do you think she's alright?" Tacita ventured, again as Sailor Cocytus draped in a long skirt and hoodie.

Indira shook her head and sighed frustratedly, "I don't know. I wish I did. Would they even leave her alive when they realize she lied?"

"You mean they might...!" Nerine exclaimed.

"You saw what they did to that poor kid at the school," Indira said bitterly, "If they didn't hesitate to destroy one little girl's life, a girl who had nothing to do with all of this, then how much worse would they be willing to do to their enemy?"

"At least," Tacita started slowly, "she's with my sisters. I hope. They'll take care of her if they can."

A heavy silence fell over the room again.

"What happened when they took her mirror out was strange," Althea started, choking on her words. She had been crying all the while, hoping none of the others would notice. "Her mirror was gold, Pegasus disappeared, then reappeared flying out of the mirror. After that, her mirror turned normal like everyone else's. I think, maybe, Pegasus has been hiding in her dreams all along."

Indira slammed her hand on the floor. "Of course! It makes so much sense," she agreed, "How could we not notice it before?"

"We should have been protecting her!" Althea exclaimed sadly.

"He never told us where he was," Nerine observed.

"Damia was the one he found first. She was the one he always talked to through that funny chalice of his. It seems so obvious now," Indira added. "But, I think he never told her either."

"But why?" Nerine asked to no one in particular.

"Maybe because he was afraid that if she realized that all those people were getting attacked when it should have been her," Tacita offered, gazing at the floor, "then maybe she would have felt guilty or even tried to turn herself in just to stop it. Maybe he didn't want to put the weight of that kind of knowledge on her."

The other three girls stared at her. A look of realization crossed each of their faces.

"That's how you feel, isn't it, Tacita?" Nerine ventured.

"I," she stammered, "I know my duty to protect the secrets of the realms is more important than what I feel. It would be stupid for me to want to give myself in now. Sailor Elysion's, I mean, Damia's sacrifice would be a waste. I have to be brave like her, like my sisters, but in another way." When she finished, she finally looked up. Tears welled up at the corners of her eyes, beginning to overflow.

Nerine launched herself across the room to Tacita and wrapped her in a warm hug. "We're not your sisters, but we're here for you now," she said as encouragingly as she could.

"Well do our best to protect you too," Indira offered firmly.

"I know you probably don't want to see anyone else get hurt because of you," Althea said slowly, "But it might happen. That's our duty. Staying out of the hands of the Dead Moon is yours."

Releasing Tacita and settling onto the carpet next to her, Nerine said, putting on a smile, "But let's try not to let that happen. Let's see this out to the end together. The four of us."

Damia awoke in a cramped prison. Three sides of her tiny space seemed to be made of solid darkness while the front was of glass. She struggled to untangle her limbs and sit up. She didn't remember leaving the big top and being locked away here. In fact, she hardly remembered her time under the big top in front of Zirconia at all. Her memories were all a jumble.

Outside her prison, it was so dim, she could hardly see anything but looming silhouettes. She didn't know the time or even what day it was. She could have been unconscious for days, or perhaps only for minutes. She wouldn't have noticed a difference.

Just then, flickering torch light lit the area outside her cage. In the sudden illumination, her surroundings revealed themselves. She was held in what appeared to be some kind of storage room, piled high with crates and barrels. Not far off, Damia could see two tall mirrors that reflected figures without anyone standing in front of them. Prisons, just like hers. One was a young girl with red hair, curled up on the floor. The other was an older blond girl, sitting and watching Damia pensively. Her eyes darted to their tiaras and sailor collars.

_Those must be Sailor Cocytus' sisters!_

She didn't have time to think any further. Three leggy women in rather minimal clothing strutted into the open space between the three mirror prisons and looked her over. Shakily, she stood.

"So you're the new arrival that those little boys brought in?" the blond woman wearing all orange observed as she examined Sailor Elysion from head to toe.

"This is the one Pegasus has been hiding in all this time?" the silver-haired woman in blue and black asked the third woman, who wore burgundy and lavender. "She doesn't look like anything special?"

"No one ever said Pegasus was picky," the third woman retorted.

Damia bit her lip. Under the scrutinizing gazes of the three women, she felt as uncomfortable as if she itched all over, but she had nowhere to hide from their sight.

"You know, I don't think we've been introduced," the woman with pale pink hair said. "We're the Amazoness Trio. I'm OspreyEye."

"I'm LionEye," the blond woman introduced herself.

"And I'm OrcaEye," the woman with silver hair said. "I hear you're called Sailor Elysion, little girl."

Trying not to show any fear, she stared wordlessly back at them.

"We have been assigned the pleasurable duty of chatting with you about who is the real Secret Keeper," OspreyEye said, grinning eagerly. "You know, don't you?

Sailor Elysion maintained her silence, remaining motionless.

"Come on, dear, why don't you cooperate?" OrcaEye urged.

Damia refused to react.

"Well then," LionEye said with mocking regret, "Maybe you need some help remembering." She snapped her fingers and dark lightning filled Sailor Elysion's prison. She screamed and contorted, but it continued. Some time later, the torturous lighting stopped and LionEye asked again, "Now tell us, who is the Secret Keeper?"

Panting and clinging to the wall for support, she said nothing and only glared at them.

LionEye shrugged and snapped her fingers again. The lightning returned. The process repeated over and over, Sailor Elysion never saying a word. The lighting grew stronger and stronger, meanwhile, her strength failed her. All the while, Sailor Hemera and Sailor Phlegethon looked on in horror.

Although Sailor Elysion's resolve was strong, her body was not. Before long, even the sound of her own screams died away in her ears and everything went black.

The mirror in front of them began to glow with a gentle green light. As her mother, Princess Terra, chanted the final incantations, Damia held her breath in anticipation. Her mother's words from that morning still reverberated in her head.

"_It's time for you to replace me as the Lady of Elysion and make your first transformation to a Sailor Soldier."_

"_Really?"_

"_Of course. You are finally ready. I have already made arrangements at the temple for your Ascension Ceremony."_

At last, her mother grasped her hand and they stepped through the mirror and onto vibrant green grass, nearly the same green as the gowns they wore.

The girl's mouth hung open in wonder. Her mother had brought them to a lake in the middle of a lush green forest, dotted with prismatic crystal formations. The lake itself was still as a mirror, and at the edge of it sat an elegant temple built of white stone. Already, two women in long white dresses with pale pink hair made their way across the grass from the temple towards them.

"What do you think of Elysion?" her mother asked warmly.

"It's beautiful!" Damia whispered, hardly able to speak.

"Welcome at last, young Damia, to the kingdom of Elysion," one of the women in white said as she approached, making a wide gesture at the land around them.

"Your mother, the Lady of Elysion, has told us much about you," the second added sweetly, "After all these years of praying over you, it is a great pleasure to finally meet you."

"I—" Damia stammered, then curtsied, "It's a pleasure to meet you too."

"Dear, these are the Maenads, priestesses and keepers of the temple," her mother explained.

"Come, the High Priest is expecting you," the second Maenad urged, clapping her hands lightly.

The two Maenads turned to go and Princess Terra gave her daughter a gentle shove to follow after them. Damia tried to walk as gracefully as she could while taking in all the sights and sounds around her. In all the thirteen years of her life, she had not been allowed in Elysion, as tradition decreed, until this day, her Ascension. While other members of court could come and go to pray at the temple, as the future guardian of Elysion, passage had been forbidden to her.

_But today, that all changes. _Her mother was stepping down from the post and putting it into the eager hands of her young daughter. _From today on, this is my second home. I will pray and study at the temple, train with the other Sailor Soldiers, and pass rule and judgment over this hidden kingdom. _She swallowed hard and her stride faltered. _But I don't know if I'm ready yet. There's no way I could be as good at this as Mother…_

Damia followed the Maenads up a set of wide stone steps, down a long corridor, and into a sunny courtyard, where a young man dressed in white and pale blue awaited them.

Halting and turning to Damia, the Maenad on her left said, "This is the High Priest of Elysion, Helios."

The other addressed Helios, "And, may I present the young Lady of Elysion."

The priest smiled and performed a polite bow. Damia gaped at him, almost forgetting to curtsey. She had imagined a stern, balding man, like her uncle King Endymion, only wiser, more mystical. _He's hardly any older than I am!_ The only thing even remotely mystical about him was his striking white hair.

Damia's mother reached over and squeezed her hand. "This is as far as I may go," she said, "This temple is no longer my domain; it is yours."

"But mother!" Damia protested.

Princess Terra closed her eyes and clasped one hand around the red stone than hung around her neck. "I am the Lady of Elysion no longer. I shed this title and pass it on to another," she chanted, "Although Elysion will never again be under my protection, I will still hold it in my heart." With that, brilliant gold light shone out from the gaps between her fingers, and when she lowered her hand, the spherical stone was gone.

Damia gaped at her, rooted to where she stood.

"Now go," she urged gently, "I will wait here for you."

"Come," Helios said with an encouraging smile, and extended his right hand towards her, "We must go to the center of the temple, to the crystalline Chamber of Dreams."

Damia hesitantly shuffled down the last few steps into the courtyard and took his hand. He slowly led her across the courtyard, holding her hand lightly as a dance partner would, while the Maenads followed behind them. Damia wanted to glance over her shoulder for another encouraging smile from her mother but she feared that it would break the protocol of the ceremony somehow.

Her heart pounded in her chest. While her mother had mentioned the Ascension Ceremony, she never taught her just how to participate. _What if I mess something up? _

As they passed through the courtyard and into the inner temple, she saw many white-clad priests, acolytes, and servants of the temple filter out into the open to watch her, to measure her up. Damia took a deep breath to try to calm herself. The slow and stately pace that they walked was almost too much for her. _Do I look like the perfect Lady? Have I already disappointed them? How can I ever measure up to my mother? She was a princess. I'm just… the daughter of a princess._

Helios ran his thumb lightly over the top of her hand, and she was suddenly reminded of his presence next to her. "Are you nervous?" he asked, almost in a whisper.

She glanced over at him, wide-eyed. Was he allowed to break the silence of their procession? "Yes," she admitted quietly.

With a small smile, he said, "I am too."

Just then, they reached a tall archway with silver velvet curtains hung over it. Two guards dressed in silver and white robes and armed only with tall staffs of polished crystal stood at attention on either side. They saluted Helios and Damia then drew back the heavy curtains.

As Helios led her inside, a gasp escaped her lips. The circular chamber was made of carved white marble, like the rest of the temple, but it was lit only by the prismatic glow of the crystals that were inlayed in dazzling patterns on the walls and on the domed ceiling. A sun-like pattern of concentric circles, curves, and lines in silver wove across the floor. High above, like a miniature sun, a single crystal glowed with golden light.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Helios whispered.

Glancing over at him, she smiled, "Breathtaking."

One of the Maenads behind them cleared her throat.

Helios stiffened and led Damia to the center of the chamber then finally released her hand. The Maenads took up a position behind her while Helios backed up to stand in front of her.

Helios cleared his throat and recited, "Young Lady of Elysion, do you dedicate yourself to the protection of Elysion and the dreams of all people?"

"Yes," Damia said, "I promise."

"Are your dreams pure and beautiful?" He asked, extending both arms towards her.

"I don't—" she stammered.

Suddenly, Helios clenched his fists and drew them towards himself, and a searing pain erupted in Damia's chest. She screamed. She was dimly aware of Helios lunging towards as she fell into the arms of the Maenads. A pink-framed mirror floated above her.

The young priest took hold of the mirror and plunged his head inside. Screams escaped her again as the searing pain returned to her chest. A moment later, however, it subsided.

"Your dreams are as pure and beautiful as the crystals of Elysion," he said and pushed the floating mirror back towards her. This time, there was no pain. Strength returned to her limbs and the Maenads helped her to her feet.

"You are fit to become the guardian of Elysion," Helios said and held out one hand towards her. Nested in his palm was a small red sphere, just like the one her mother had always worn. "Take this. It is yours."

Gingerly, she took it. The sphere was smooth and cool.

"Now it is time to complete your ascension," he instructed, "Transform."

"_But before we go, I will teach you your first incantation. It is, perhaps, your most important one." _

Raising the sphere into the air, Damia cried, "Elysion Terran Power, Makeup!"

Brilliant green light reeled around her and enveloped her. It cascaded over her body, replacing her gown with a spring green skirt and collar, two purple bows, and the whole uniform of a Sailor Soldier. Moments later, she found herself standing before Helios and the Maenads feeling strangely naked.

Helios kneeled and bowed his head, "Sailor Elysion, I am at your service."

Behind her, the kneeling Maenads echoed, "We are at your service."

Damia was dumbstruck. _But I'm a guardian, not some princess!_ "No, I am at yours," she said as evenly as she could.

Helios's head snapped up and he stared evenly into her eyes. Rising, he said quietly, "You will be a great Guardian. I can only hope that I can be as good of a priest."

"I—thanks," she stammered, "And, of course you will."

Looking away, he said, "If my lady says so."

"Now you must greet the people of this temple, young Lady of Elysion," one of the Maenads said.

"Yes, right," Helios stammered and took Damia's hand again. As he led her towards the silver-curtained archway, he leaned closer and whispered, "I think you're going to have to give a little speech."

Damia paled. "I don't think I'm ready for this," she moaned.

"I don't think I am either," Helios admitted with an uneasy chuckle.

"What do you mean?" Damia asked.

"This was my first real duty as High Priest," he explained. "I've hardly been here a month already."

"How's that?" Damia asked, "I thought all priests were trained from childhood."

Helios sighed, "A proper high priest has to be found. They didn't find me until just after the previous High Priest died suddenly. They never even installed me as an Acolyte. I hardly know what I'm doing yet."

"Mother had said that you would train me, but," Damia said slowly, a little crestfallen, "I guess we'll be learning together."

"I'm sorry, I—I promise to help you in every way I can," he said quickly, running his thumb lightly over her hand again.

"And however I can, I'll help you," Damia found herself promising.

"Lady of Elysion, you don't have to do that," he protested, as they stepped out into the sun-lit temple again.

"You don't have to call me that," Damia said. _That was my mother's name, it feels too strange to call myself that._

Helios paused mid-step. "Then what should I call you?" he asked quizzically.

"Damia," she answered.

"Damia," Helios said, running the sounds over his tongue, "Damia. Very well then."

One of the Maenads behind them irritably cleared her throat again.

"Well, Damia, the attendants of the temple are waiting," he said with an encouraging smile and started forward again.

While disappointed at first, Damia found herself more and more encouraged by the frankness of the young High Priest. He was hardly more experienced than Damia. And yet, ready or not, they both had daunting roles to fulfill. If a barely-trained priest could perform her Ascension Ceremony, she could certainly give, and probably botch, a speech to the temple attendants. She was, after all, just beginning her training herself.

As they reached the edge of the courtyard, she wondered if her mother would be able to hear her from the other side. Damia hoped that she would be proud.

Damia leaned on a smooth marble railing and stared out over the lake behind the temple. The trees on the other shore reflected on its rippling surface. Beautiful as it was, she struggled to find inspiration in the scenery.

"My lady, you look upset," she heard Helios' voice behind her. He joined her at the railing.

Shifting her balance to look at him, she struggled to come up with the words to say.

"It's your training, isn't it?" he asked.

"What makes you say that?" she asked in return. _I don't know how he figures me out so well every single time._

"My Maenads say that you have been attempting something over and over again with no result," he explained.

"It's not easy, you know," she replied, a hint of bitterness in her voice.

"And that's why I came to offer my help, if you will accept it," Helios said calmly.

"All of the other Sailor Soldiers have already mastered their realm powers," Damia complained, "But I can't seem to even muster any strength for mine."

"They key is to—" Helios began, straightening up.

Damia interrupted him, "To feel one with the realm I protect. I know."

Helios took a deep breath and started thoughtfully, "This temple may be the heart of Elysion, but the trouble is..." He gingerly took one of her hands that had been resting on the railing. "If I may," he requested politely, "come with me."

Damia didn't resist or even ask where he was taking her. Almost at a trot, he pulled her through the temple and out the entrance. They swept over the grass and into the forest. He led her through the cool shade of the trees, past crystals that sprouted up from the ground like shrubbery, and to the edge of a small pond in the middle of the woods.

Helios released her hand and gestured broadly around him, "Now this is Elysion."

"I don't understand," Damia said slowly, "I've been out in these woods hundreds of times before."

"Sit down and feel the grass beneath you," he urged, sinking to the ground himself.

As Damia sat, she awkwardly tried to arrange her gown around her, which only added to her frustration.

"I'm sorry, I forgot about your..." he stammered, embarrassed.

"No, it's alright," she reassured him, though still feeling flustered herself.

"Comfortable?" he asked.

She nodded.

"You can't just take in Elysion's beauty through your eyes," he started slowly, "It will never reach your heart that way. You must feel it beneath your feet. You must smell the forest, taste the air, and hear all the life all around you. Close your eyes, Damia, and take deep even breaths."

She obliged, but soon asked, "And this will help?"

"Shh," he commanded, "Forget about your training. Forget about struggles and failings. Forget about successes for that matter. Empty your mind and just be. Exist here in this place, in this moment."

Damia concentrated on breathing slowly and deeply, but she fidgeted uncomfortably. She heard a quiet rustling near by and then felt Helios' warm hands on her shoulders. "Calm yourself," he whispered gently, "Relax." Somehow, under his reassuring touch, she obeyed. Her shoulders drooped and her breathing became more natural.

"Take in the air around you. What does it feel like? What does it smell like? What does it taste like?" he asked softly.

"It's..." she started slowly.

"Shh. Don't answer, just experience it," he stopped her.

She felt it, smelled it, and tasted it, forgetting about the reason she had come in the first place.

"Listen," he said simply after a long while, and fell silent again.

The leaves rustled gently above. The water in the pond lapped gently at the shore. Birds sung. Distant animals called. Faintly, far away, she could here the murmur of the temple. She could hear Helios' breathing behind her. Her own heartbeat thumped rhythmically in her ears.

"Feel the earth beneath you and the air that surrounds you," he prompted and she obeyed. As she meditated, she felt almost like a tree dropping roots into the ground and reaching boughs up to the sky, soaking in the warm sunlight that filtered through the trees above.

"Find Elysion within you," he said, "You are Elysion."

In the rhythm of her breathing, she hardly heard him, and yet she knew what he asked of her. She felt his hands shift down to her sides. Gently, he drew her up and turned her around. Letting him move her, she stood, her eyes still closed.

"Now?" he asked.

It took her a moment to realize what he was asking. "I feel..." she replied, opening her eyes, "I am Elysion."

A warm smile broke across his face.

Grasping the red crystal that hung around her neck, she called, "Elysion Terran Power, Makeup!" As she transformed, she felt the power of Elysion washing over her.

Now standing in the glade as Sailor Elysion, her legs felt strangely cold as the air licked up against them. She took strength from it. Taking a deep breath, she cradled her arms around herself and called, "Elysion Crisis Melody!" Sparkling spring green energy flowed from her fingertips and out into the air. Startled birds cried and leaped into the air.

Laughing, Sailor Elysion relaxed and let her hands fall to her sides. "Thank you Helios," she grinned at him.

Smiling timidly, he replied, "I am ever at your service, my lady."

Already most of the temple attendants had cleared out and headed home. Only a few still remained, and most of those were the night singers who kept their melodic vigil at the temple all night long.

Damia walked slowly through the courtyard and lingered at the great arching entryway. Something was tugging at her. She couldn't leave yet, even as the setting sun dyed the white marble temple a warm pink hue. She hadn't seen Helios since early that morning and, it didn't seem right to return home without saying goodbye.

"Damia!" someone called her name from outside the temple. Leading a majestic white pegasus by the reins, Helios approached her across the grass. "You're still here this late in the evening?" he asked, but the smile on his face spoke for itself.

"A pegasus!" she exclaimed and swept down the stairs and across the green towards him. "He's beautiful!"

The winged horse nickered happily.

"I've never seen one before," she admitted excitedly, "Where did you...?"

"He is my messenger, my avatar," he explained then asked timidly, "Would you like to go for a ride?" Almost interrupting himself, he said quickly, "Well, no, I'm sure you need to be going home now."

"No," Damia said boldly, stepping closer to him, "I'd love to."

A smile slowly spread across his face again. "Let me help you up then," he offered, then knit his hands together as a make-shift step for her. Gingerly, she stepped into his hands and he boosted her up. As she tried to seat herself at the base of the pegasus' neck, she lost her balance and almost tumbled off. Helios caught and steadied her before swinging up onto the pegasus' back behind her. He took the reigns with one hand, and wrapped his other around her waist to keep her steady.

Damia's heart pounded.

With a flick of the reigns, the pegasus pumped his wings and took off. Her heart was in her throat. She couldn't speak. Flying on the back of the pegasus with Helios holding her secure was thrilling, terrifying, and wonderful all at once. Her skirts fluttered around her legs and her braids whipped around behind her. She hoped it wasn't bothering Helios.

They soared up over the temple where tiny fires flickered below. The setting sun painted all of the lakes fiery colors and sparkled on the clusters of crystals that grew throughout the forests like tiny stars.

Finally, she found her voice. "I didn't think Elysion could get any more beautiful!" she exclaimed breathlessly. They glided east, away from the setting sun and into the twilight. A few stars peaked out overhead.

Slowly, she realized that they were descending. Flying low over the treetops, they came out over a small lake. In the center of the lake was a small peaked pavilion. It seemed to be made of white marble and crystal with gilded pillars. The pegasus skimmed the surface of the water, the wind from its wings kicking up ripples on the otherwise glassy surface. Shallow steps encircled the pavilion, water lapping up to its base. They glided towards it and the pegasus landed lightly on the lowest stair.

Helios let her gently slide to the ground before dismounting himself.

"Did you like it?" he asked warmly.

"I..." she answered, grinning, but found herself at a loss for words.

The smile was enough of an answer for Helios. He offered his up-turned hand to her and she lightly placed hers on his. Climbing the stairs onto the flat, circular interior with her at his side, he said, "Welcome to my shrine of solace. When I need to be alone, when I need peace away from the hustle and bustle of the temple, I come here."

"It's beautiful," she said, gazing around at the entire pavilion.

"It has been the private retreat of the High Priests of Elysion since ages past," he explained and let her go, allowing her to wander about, inspecting every pillar. He stood in the middle of the dais, happily watching her explore.

Suddenly turning back towards him, she observed slowly, "And you brought me here. Is that allowed?"

He shrugged, "This is my retreat, after all."

"I'm not disturbing the sanctity of this place, am I?" she asked quickly.

"No, not at all," he reassured her and walked over towards where she stood.

Suddenly feeling self-conscious, she brushed her hand across the top of her head, finding locks that had come loose from her braids. "Oh, I'm sure my hair is a mess after all that flying," she murmured, looking down.

"You look beautiful just as you are," he praised.

Damia looked up in surprised to see Helios blushing and averting his eyes.

Heart fluttering in her chest, she took a step towards him and said, "Thank you for bringing me here, Helios. You're always helping me and doing things for me, even things that you don't have to do. I wish I could be of more help to you."

"Don't say that, my lady," he argued softly, "Now, there is peace. You already act as the speaker for our realm to the Earth Kingdom. There may come a time when your powers as a Sailor Soldier will come to the aid of all of us. No one can take your place if a time like that does come to pass." He paused and took a deep breath, "But, gods willing, we will never see such a day."

"I just wish I could do more for you now," she sighed. "You've made this time of training so easy and wonderful for me, and here you're still in training yourself. But you do so well already, I keep forgetting that."

"Thank you, my lady," he replied, sighing, "That means a lot, coming from you. But really, seeing you when you come to the temple brightens my day. Meditating, praying, and studying with you; it calms me and gives me confidence. The days you don't come... Well, maybe it might not seem like much to you, but just by being with you and by being here, that has helped me."

"I..." she faltered then found her words, "But please tell me however I can help you more."

"Just, be near me," he said quietly, "Whenever you're close, I can believe that I will become the great High Priest that everyone expects of me."

"You already are!" Damia argued.

Helios' amber eyes widened, looking a little stunned. Fidgeting, he looked down at his hands. Damia gazed past him. The sun had set and twinkling stars like crystals in the heavens lit the sky and reflected in the lake. Only the silhouetted band of trees at the bank of the lake distinguished water from sky. Other than that shadow on the horizon, the pavilion could have been floating among the stars.

"My lady," Helios said finally, drawing Damia's attention back in. The gentle gaze he fixed on her was almost too much for her to bear. "Damia, I..." he started again, "I love you."

"Helios, I—" she couldn't complete her sentence. The feelings that welled up inside of her were too strong. Instead, she closed the distance between them and threw her arms around his neck. Helios reflexively held her in a warm embrace. They remained together like that for a long while. Finally, Damia whispered into his ear, "I love you too."

Helios let out a long sigh. "I don't know when I started loving you, maybe from the moment I first looked into your dreams," he murmured just loud enough for her to hear, "Every time you were near, I would think, 'Now, I am complete.' Every time you said goodbye for the night, I wanted to beg you to stay for just a little longer. But you were always so sure of yourself, not like me. I worried that you didn't—"

"Shh," she stopped him, putting a finger gently to his lips. "Stop worrying," she whispered, then tilted her head up and kissed him.

"Where's Helios?" Damia asked one morning after searching from one end of the temple to the other. Helios lived at the temple and it wasn't like him to go missing.

The guards outside the inner sanctuary just shrugged. One answered, "I saw him once before dawn, but I haven't seen him since."

"Thanks," Damia said and curtsied, then hurried off down the corridor.

"My lady," one of the Maenads met her in the hallway. She still couldn't tell the two apart. "I heard that you are searching for the High Priest."

"Yes, have you seen him?" she asked, perhaps too eagerly.

"He wasn't feeling well this morning," the woman explained, "He said that he would spend the day meditating at his retreat."

"Thank you very much," Damia said and rushed away. _Not feeling well? I wonder what's the matter. Maybe I can do something._

Helios' retreat was no longer a place for him to be alone, in her mind, after the countless evenings they had spent there together. It was a place for them to talk and be open with each other, something they couldn't do on the temple grounds.

Damia didn't think, she just acted. She hurried out of the temple and into the woods to the East. Quickly transforming, she dashed through the forest as Sailor Elysion. She didn't know how far the pavilion lake was by land. Helios had always taken her on the pegasus' back, but she did remember the other lakes they passed over on the way.

After nearly an hour of running, she came to a familiar lake and paused to splash herself in the water and take a drink before continuing on. As she went, the low clouds above released a light drizzle, turning the forest floor into mud. Her high heels began to stick in the mud, making her passage slower. Soon her clothes and hair were completely soaked as well. Yet, she pressed on. Something, maybe the urgent fear in the back of her mind, propelled her onward.

At last, she came out of the woods onto the shore of the pavilion lake. The pegasus grazed on the shore not far off and she could see a solitary figure dressed in white pacing about in the pavilion.

"Helios!" she called through cupped hands. The distant figure froze and looked in her direction.

The pegasus, seeming to understand her need, trotted over and offered her his back. She swung up onto him and he flew lightly over the water to the pavilion where Helios stood. Quickly dismounting and thanking the pegasus with a pat on the neck, she said, "Helios, I heard you were unwell."

"My lady, even I need time alone to think sometimes," he replied. His coldness startled her.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly, looking at the ground, "I was just worried about you."

"Look at you! You're soaked," Helios said with some concern, "And you came all this way on foot."

She continued to stare at the ground and said nothing.

"Well, you're here now, so please come in out of the rain," he stiffly invited her. Shakily she climbed the stairs onto the sheltered dais.

"You're alright then? You're not sick?" she asked quickly.

"Right now, I'm more worried about you catching a cold," he said as he looked her over. "I don't even have a blanket or a towel here to offer you."

"I'll be fine," she lied, shivering. He eyed her skeptically. Smiling weakly, she shed her transformation. Her gown returned and it was warm and dry, though her hair and skin remained as wet as before. "See," she reassured him, "I'll be fine."

"Please, sit down and catch your breath," he urged, still standing a ways off.

She sunk down against one of the pillars and watched him continue his pacing. "The Maendad was right, Helios," she said, "You don't look well. What's the matter?"

He froze and fell silent, looking away.

"Helios?" she persisted gently.

"Early this morning my adviser from the High Temple of the Earth came to visit," Helios replied, slowly and seriously as he gazed out into the rain.

"He hasn't come to see you in a long time, has he?" Damia put in.

Helios continued as if he hadn't heard her, "You know, my lady, your training is almost finished. You should spend more time in the Earth Kingdom, meeting other people."

"Helios, what are you talking about?" she asked, tears coming to her eyes. She knew where this was going but didn't want to believe it.

Helios turned back to her, already crying, "He told me that I am destroying the sanctity of my position by regarding you as anything other than the guardian of this realm."

"Oh, Helios!" she exclaimed, starting to rise, but Helios weakly motioned to her to stay where she was.

"So," he started, swallowing back his tears, "It would be best if you didn't come as often. You should go to court, dance at balls, and meet nice men who could actually..." he trailed off, as if afraid to finish his thought, "marry you."

Fighting with her voluminous skirt, she stood and rushed over to him, despite his motions to stay back. Grasping one of his hands between both of hers, she professed, "I couldn't love anyone besides you, Helios. You treat me as just me. You understand me. After all we've been through together..."

He shook his head and pulled away, walking towards the edge of the dais. "My lady, you need to forget about me, about us," he said quietly, "Your love would be unhappy and one-sided. I want to you to be happy."

"Then stop saying things like this!" Damia exclaimed, following after him, "You have told me yourself that you love me, more times than I can count. How can I believe that my love is one-sided after all that?"

"It is my duty to Elysion to forget all of that," Helios answered, his voice dead as the grave.

"You don't mean that?" she asked, choking on sobs that welled up, "Do you, Helios?"

He paced away from her again. "Now, you should go home and start participating in court like a proper lady," he urged painfully, "The rest of the Earth needs to know your charm."

"Have you ever been to one of those balls?" Damia demanded but remained where she stood, "I am the daughter of a princess. Every last family who wants connections to power, fame, wealth, and royalty shoves their son in my direction. I hate it. No one sees me for who I am, only as what I am."

"Then I hope there is someone different out there for you," he replied quietly.

Damia stood stunned, staring at him.

"Now, please go home. You can use the lake as a mirror to take the passage out of Elysion," he pleaded, still looking away, "I need some time to be alone."

Crying, Damia stepped back down into the rain and to the lowest step around the pavilion. Slowly, she began the incantation that would take her back to the Earth Kingdom, half hoping and half expecting that Helios would try to stop her. He didn't.

Damia returned from the palace in full Sailor Soldier regalia. Striding proudly and grimly through the temple towards the inner sanctuary, she drew the stares and whispers of the temple attendants that watched her pass by.

Helios met her in the corridor outside the heavy silver curtains that closed off the sanctuary from the rest of the temple, looking concerned. "War is coming, isn't it?" he asked her. "I have seen the fears and even thirst for it in the dreams of the people of Earth."

"A darkness is spreading through the people," she explained, "We expect rebellion to break out within the day. There is even talk of storming the moon. We want to find the leaders and stop it before it begins, but we fear it might already be too late. The enemies are already to strong."

"At last you can help Elysion as you wished to," he replied evenly, "I will be praying for your success."

Suddenly, Damia felt as if she wanted to cry. Tearfully, she raised a hand to slap Helios, but held herself back. "Is that all you can say to me?" she demanded in a hoarse whisper, "I may never see you again once this war starts."

Helios met her gaze evenly. He took her hand and pulled her through the silver curtains and into the sanctuary. No sooner had the curtains swung shut again, and he pulled her into a tight embrace and kissed her. She melted under his hold. Pulling away, he whispered, "I know it's forbidden, but I can't forget you, Damia. I love you, and I will be praying with my entire being that you will make it back safely."

Tears still streamed down Damia's face. He gently wiped them away. "I believe in you, my maiden," he whispered before kissing her again. Finally, they broke away and he held her out at arms length. "Now go, Sailor Elysion," he said warmly, "Elysion is counting on you, and the Earth needs you." He paused then added, "And so do I."

Smiling weakly, she turned and rushed out through the curtains, shoes clattering on the stone floor. _I hope I can make it back too..._

Helios, Sailor Cocytus, and Sailor Erebus rushed into the Temple of Elysion. Sailor Elysion already stood waiting for them with the rest of the temple attendants huddled in frightened groups behind her.

"Is it finished then?" Helios asked, panting.

"Elysion is sealed off from the Earth," Sailor Elysion replied, nodding, "and with it, the passageway to all the rest of the hidden realms. Only those that know the secret incantations can pass between the Earth and here now."

"And those incantations are hidden away in Sailor Cocytus' dreams," Helios added, more for the benefit of those that were now confined to Elysion.

"You will be safe here," Sailor Erebus reassured them. "We made sure of it."

"But we really should get back to the front," Sailor Cocytus reminded the other two sailors.

They nodded. As they turned to go, Helios caught Sailor Elysion's hand. "We will be praying for you," he said, but the hopeless look in his eyes said much more. Without another word, he released her.

_This is it, isn't it?_

Taking one last look at him, the temple attendants, and beautiful realm of Elysion itself, she hurried over to her companions and joined hands with them.

"Sailor Teleport!" they cried and disappeared from Elysion.

The return to the front was a bleak one. A strange and unnatural darkness covered the Earth, but the fighting was elsewhere. The rebels from the Earth, sweeping up others in their wake, had moved on the Moon, filled with the evil power of Metalia. Now, all that remained on the battlefield were those that had been too afraid to go and scattered monsters from Metalia's dark kingdom. Fearing for the king, all seven soldiers joined hands and teleported to the palace as soon as Damia returned with Sailor Cocytus and Sailor Erebus.

He was alright, but terrified. Most of his guards, including his four most trusted generals had been filled with darkness and turned against reason, attacking the Moon. The king urged the seven sailors to stand guard outside the palace in their place.

As they hurried to their post, Damia was struck by the eerie emptiness of the palace. Once outside the palace, the feeling didn't leave her. The city around the palace seemed to be emptied of people as well. She shivered, but not from the icy wind that blew up the streets.

When no one tried to enter the palace forcibly, rebel or monster, Damia found herself staring up at the full moon. It too was cloaked in darkness. Flashes of light now and then from the Silver Millennium told her that the people of the Moon were still putting up resistance. Suddenly, there was a great flash and the darkness on the moon receded.

Sailor Aether had seen it too. "Look!" she said, pointing up.

There was a great roar of anger and the earth shook. Sailor Elysion felt evil energy rushing all around her.

"Quick, get away from the palace!" Sailor Erebus yelled over the roar of the earthquake, "It's going to collapse!"

They ran over the uneven, shaking ground and down the great steps amid the screaming people who still remained in the capital. With one particularly violent shake, Sailor Elysion lost her footing and tripped, striking her knee badly on the ground. She cried out in pain, but no one heard her. The others had already run far ahead. She struggled to get up, but her efforts were useless with a bad leg on the buckling and writhing ground.

There came a crashing noise from behind her. She twisted around in time to see a piece of the palace wall tumbling down towards her. _So this is the end, _she thought, not bothering to scream for help.

Most of the stones missed her, but one pinned her legs, breaking them. She couldn't help crying out. The pain was overwhelming. Panting and sobbing on the ground, she whispered, "Helios, I'm sorry. I tried..."

As her consciousness began to slip away, a warm white light enveloped her. In her mind, she heard a woman's gentle voice say, "Be reborn and live happily in peace." Everything faded away.

Sailor Elysion awoke, crumpled at the bottom of a tiny prison cell. She hurt from the tip of every nerve right to the depths of her heart. She remembered everything now, as if she had lived two lifetimes. It seemed like the fall of the Earth Kingdom was only yesterday.

She began to cry. Not from the pain of her torture, but in mourning for Helios, Elysion, and the whole civilization of people who had been deceived and destroyed.

"We can't just leave Sailor Elysion and Tacita's sisters to rot away in the Dead Moon Circus," Althea said at last. "We were working on a plan to storm the circus before this all happened, and this is all the more reason to see it through." She fished under Nerine's bed for the pad she had been taking notes on earlier.

Tacita nodded, "She's right. We have to try to stop the Dead Moon and rescue our friends. If we can free them, we have a much better chance."

"And now that they know that one of us has the book they want, it's only a matter of time before they come back looking for us, holding another school hostage," Indira added.

"So we have to act quickly," Althea agreed. "I say we stick to our plan and get a good night's sleep tonight then skip school and break into the circus tomorrow."

"We'll have to pretend we're going to school though, or my parents will figure it out," Nerine pointed out, "So we'll get up in time and pretend like we're going, but then head someplace else instead."

"Fine," Althea nodded, jotting a few more things onto the pad, "It's settled. Let's get some sleep then."

Nerine stood up and got right to work. "There's a hide-a-bed in the TV room that two of you can share and the big couch in the living room for one more. I'll go get some blankets," she said and hurried out of the bedroom.

The other three stared at each other silently for a few moments before getting up to help her.

_Tomorrow is going to be a big day,_ Indira thought grimly.


	16. Chapter 16

**The Storm Breaks**

_Chapter 16_

The Amazoness Trio returned. Again, they ignored Sailor Phlegethon and Sailor Hemera, staring intently at Sailor Elysion.

"I suggest you cooperate this time," OspreyEye said darkly, "If you don't tell us which of your friends is the Secret Keeper, we'll have to start killing them one by one until we find the right girl. You don't want that, do you?"

Elysion maintained her silence.

"We have discovered just how easy it is to draw you saps out," LionEye said, laughing, "Hold some innocents hostage and you sailors will be there in a few minutes. Guaranteed."

"Don't make fun of our compassion!" Damia spat, unable to let that insult stand, "You three don't even know the meaning of love, I'm sure."

"Love is a weakness, you proved that yourself," LionEye retorted, "Why should we want it?"

"No, love gives you strength to do things you never thought you could," Damia argued, images of her friends, her family, and Helios passing through her mind's eye. "That's why you'll never be able to win here. I gave myself over to you to save the people I loved. Do you actually think torturing me will make me go back on that?" she demanded.

"Love is an illusion," OrcaEye said softly, "People use each other to feel fulfilled, to feel important. This world is rotten to the core. Maybe in some fairytale past you humans had love, but not now. No one tried to come to your rescue. Not then and not now. They were glad, in their self-serving purposes, that it was you that gave yourself over so they could live free another day. The love you thought you had was all an illusion. You say you are protecting their secrets because you love them? They don't love you, so why bother? There is no one who truly loves you." OrcaEye's soothing voice was gently hypnotic.

_I guess Althea always wanted to be better than me. She always thought that she should be the leader. Now with me out of the way she can be. And Nerine, she looked up to me because I was good at things, but now that I've failed, I'm sure she's disappointed in me. I'm sure she's off idolizing someone else now. Indira was always a loner, always a little cold. She came with us because of her powers, not because she was a friend of any of us. But..._

_And Helios... Helios... is gone. All this time I loved him, but I couldn't remember it. I wish I could have told him that before. He said he would always..._

Snapping out of OrcaEye's spell, she cried, "I have known a sweeter love than you could ever imagine. Both in this life and in my past."

OrcaEye was taken aback, "How could she...?"

"I will never cooperate with you," she yelled, fresh angry tears running down her cheeks, "You attacked my friends and took my Helios away!" Taking a deep breath, she positioned herself as best as she could in her tiny prison and called, "Pure Energy Force!" Drawing on the power of her own emotions, brilliant green energy filled her prison, ricocheting wildly from wall to wall. Sailor Elysion screamed as her own attack hit her again and again before finally fading away.

_I didn't expect it to do that,_ she thought weakly as she collapsed again. Smiling grimly with satisfaction, she blacked out.

"It was nice seeing you girls again! Have a nice day at school!" Nerine's mother called after them as Althea, Nerine, Tacita, and Indira left the house that morning and hopped into Indira's car. Dark clouds hung overhead and thunder rumbled far away in the distance. "Nerine, you forgot your umbrella!" she added, waving it out the doorway.

"I'll be fine, Mom," Nerine called back cheerfully and shut the car door.

Once they were inside, Indira started the engine and asked, "So where do we want to do this from?"

"Someplace away from people, I guess," Nerine suggested.

"There's a nice big park on the west side of town with some woods in it that we could try," Indira suggested, "On a day like this, I'm sure not many people will be out, except for some crazy joggers."

"Is it far from here?" Althea asked, feeling the urgency of their mission weighing down on her.

"It will take about twenty minutes, I think," Indira answered.

"Well, let's get going then," Althea said quickly.

Switching on the radio, Indira pulled out of the driveway and accelerated down the road. None of them had any more to say.

"Amazon Quartet!" Zirconia roared as she appeared in a puff of smoke on her podium high above the circus floor. The four boys were already waiting in the center ring below.

"Yes Zirconia?" they chorused, bowing.

"Heh," Zirconia chuckled at their respectfulness, "I want no fooling around from you four this time. We know that one of those four Sailors still out there is the Secret Keeper. I want you to find them and check every last one's dream mirror until you have the Tome of the Secrets of the Realms."

"We're on it," NikNik said nodding.

"And don't let them pull any tricks on you like this last one did," Zirconia warned. "Knock their mirrors out, no questions asked."

"We're not stupid enough to be fooled twice, you know," TouTou shot back sourly.

"Queen Nehelenia's patience is growing thin, you brats," Zirconia spat, "You had better get it right this time."

"Don't worry Zirconia," AthoAtho said confidently, "We'll bring you that book."

"You'd better," she rasped as they turned to go.

Only ParPar remained staring up at her.

"Come on, ParPar," NikNik urged.

Tearing his eyes away, he skipped after them. Leaning close to NikNik, he whispered, "Where's Zircon? That creepy flying eye hasn't been around since we brought Sailor Elysion back."

Glancing over his shoulder to check, NikNik agreed, "Yeah, Zircon isn't on Zirconia's staff like usual. I wonder where it could be?"

As the foursome crossed the park, heading for the trees on the far side, an even sheet of heavy gray clouds hung overhead. Nerine, pausing for a moment to look at the sky, murmured, "It's going to rain." Quickly, she caught up with the others. They didn't bother to stick to the paths that encircled the park, but cut straight across through the grass. The only other person they saw was a lone jogger passing through.

Once they reached the woods, Althea took the lead and led them farther in, out of sight of the lawn. Although she didn't really have a goal in mind as she swatted through the underbrush, crunching on dead leaves, Althea stopped them in a small clearing. "This should work," she said, nodding approvingly. She eyed them all wordlessly, then threw her transformation sphere into the air, "Erebus Terran Power, Makeup!"

"Nyx Terran Power, Makeup!"

"Aether Terran Power, Makeup!"

"Cocytus Terran Power, Makeup!"

"So, this is it," Sailor Aether said uneasily once they all stood ready.

"In your memory, Sailor Cocytus, how did that teleport thing work?" Sailor Nyx asked, getting straight to business.

"We all joined hands and called out 'Sailor Teleport' together, thinking about where we wanted to go," she explained, "from what I can remember."

"So, like this then?" Sailor Aether asked as she took Cocytus' and Nyx's hands. Sailor Erebus joined the circle across from her.

Sailor Cocytus nodded.

"Sailor Teleport?" Nyx clarified.

Cocytus nodded again.

"Okay, everyone ready?" Aether asked, taking a deep breath.

As one, they chorused, "Sailor Te—!"

Suddenly, ParPar tumbled into the middle of their circle, grinning. "Where do you think you're going?" he asked playfully.

Aether gasped and released her friends' hands.

"Nowhere, I'd say," AthoAtho said, picking his way through the underbrush behind Sailor Erebus. TouTou and NikNik appeared out of the shadows behind him.

Thunder rolled overhead and a light rain began to fall.

"What do you want?" Sailor Nyx demanded dangerously.

"The same thing we asked for last time," AthoAtho answered, "And this time, we're not leaving without it."

"What have you done with Sailor Elysion?" Erebus demanded.

"Wouldn't you like to know," TouTou sneered.

"How did they find us?" Aether whispered to Cocytus, who shrugged, as perplexed as she was.

NikNik heard her. "You're not hard to find, you know," NikNik boasted, "Especially when you start yelling 'makeup!'"

ParPar slunk out of the circle and joined the other three boys in pacing a slow circle around where the Sailors stood. "We'll ask you nicely once," AthoAtho said patiently, "Who is the Secret Keeper?"

With a stern flick of her eyes in Cocytus' direction, Erebus scoffed, "Fat chance."

"Fine then," TouTou said, halting behind Sailor Nyx. "You get to play our way then." In an instant, his red sphere was floating in front of him, and the next it shot through Nyx's back, propelling out her dream mirror. She yelled only briefly, trying to keep herself standing with the aid of her staff even as she lost control over her body. Moment's later, she teetered over into the brush and leaves.

"No!" Sailor Aether exclaimed. "Moonlight Flash!"

"Sky Shower Shatter!"

Their attacks succeeded in driving TouTou away from Nyx's dream mirror, but ParPar dove in to replace him and plunged his head into the mirror. Sailor Nyx yelled in pain again. The three other circus boys paused to stare at him in anticipation. The three sailors watched in horror as well, though they already knew what the outcome would be. ParPar drew his head out and exclaimed frustratedly, "Nothing there either!"

The entire Amazon Quartet instantly summoned their spheres and aimed them at the three sailors who remained standing.

"Darkness Lifting Contradiction!" Sailor Erebus yelled, gray smoke rushing towards her enemies. NikNik and AthoAtho launched their spheres, but all three managed to dodge out of the way under the cover of Erebus' attack.

"Pegasus!" Sailor Aether cried as she picked herself up from the ground again. Nothing happened. "Pegasus, help us!" she cried again. Still nothing.

"He's not—" Erebus started grimly.

The two spheres rebounded off nearby trees and one after another shot through Sailor Erebus's back.

She screamed as her mirror was forced out of her body. As she collapsed, she finished weakly, "...here."

Sailor Aether dashed protectively over to Sailor Cocytus as AthoAtho stuck his head into Erebus' mirror. He quickly pulled himself back out again. "Nothing," he frowned then stared menacingly up at Sailor Aether and Sailor Cocytus.

Aether's heart pounded. _Now's my time to be brave. _Out of the corner of her mouth, she whispered, "Sailor Cocytus, run. I'll stall them."

Cocytus wanted to protest, but, taking a deep breath, she spun on her heels, sprinting off into the woods.

Facing the Amazon Quartet defiantly through the rain, Sailor Aether attacked again, "Moonlight Flash!"

ParPar fell backwards howling in pain as the attack hit him, but the others had already moved into action. NikNik dove at Aether's ankles, knocking her flailing onto the ground. AthoAtho and TouTou sprinted off in hot pursuit of Sailor Cocytus.

The intensifying rain turned the forest floor to slick leaf-covered mud. In her rush to get away, Sailor Cocytus slipped and stumbled. All the while TouTou and AthoAtho drew ever closer. Looking over her shoulder to see how Aether fared, she didn't see the large root in front of her. In that moment, she tumbled forward with a yelp and landed amid the mud, sticks, and leaves. By the time, she pulled herself back up to her hands and knees, the circus boys were already on top of her.

Grinning greedily, TouTou flung his red sphere at her. With a shattering shriek, she collapsed into the mud again, a silver rimmed mirror floating peacefully above her. The rain poured down over it, making it glisten all the more.

AthoAtho gasped, "This is it."

Forgetting about Sailor Aether entirely, ParPar and NikNik rushed out of the clearing to where their friends stood around Sailor Cocytus.

Tears of failure poured down Aether's cheeks, mingling with the mud and rain. She watched bitterly as the four boys stood marveling victoriously at the mirror. She drew in a deep breath. _Pull yourself together, Nerine. You can still do something._

Rising only to her hands and knees she crept slowly across the forest floor to where Sailor Erebus lay. She gently pushed Erebus' mirror back in before creeping over to Sailor Nyx.

Lightning flashed overhead, followed almost immediately by a crash of thunder.

Sailor Erebus came to with a snap. She pulled herself up and immediately took in the situation. With a dangerous look in her eyes, she rose slowly and stalked through the shadows towards the cluster of young villains.

Finally, AthoAtho seized the rim of Cocytus' mirror with one hand and plunged into it. Sailor Cocytus screamed only weakly, barely audible over the rumbling thunder and pounding rain.

Laughing victoriously, AthoAtho pulled himself back out, clutching an old silver-bound book in his hand. "This is it!" he cried, holding it up into the air, "We have it!" As soon as the book was removed, the mirror's rim faded from vibrant silver to a mundane pink color.

"Don't let it get all wet, you dummy," TouTou snapped, slapping him across the back of the head.

"I wasn't planning to," AthoAtho snapped back.

"Then let's get out of here," NikNik urged.

Suddenly, Sailor Erebus leaped into their midst, snatched the book from AthoAtho's wet hands and tore off into the forest again before any of them could react.

"Hey!" AthoAtho exclaimed.

Sailor Erebus raced past Nyx and Aether, who, in turn, moved to block the way for her pursuers.

"Run Sailor Erebus!" Aether cheered, "Get it to safety!"

Out of nowhere, NikNik appeared, swinging down out of the trees. He seized the book from and darted back towards Sailor Cocytus and the others.

Sailor Aether lunged for him, but he dodged out of the way. Both she and Sailor Erebus struggled to turn around and catch him, but Sailor Nyx anticipated his move. She stood unmoving between him and the rest of the Amazon Trio, staff raised high into the air.

"Give it back," she demanded with her left hand outstretched firmly towards him.

Lightning flashed directly overhead, making Sailor Nyx momentarily a towering dark silhouette. The end of her staff now crackled with lightning.

"NikNik, give it here!" ParPar urged quickly, coming up behind Sailor Nyx, the other two following closely.

Something in Sailor Nyx's eyes made NikNik freeze to the spot.

Lightning flashed again and thunder roared.

"I am Sailor Nyx, soldier of terror, here to bring the storm!" Sailor Nyx began at a whisper, but her voice grew to almost the booming thunder itself. "Nyx Tempest!" she roared. White lighting blazed around her so brightly, Sailor Aether and Sailor Erebus had to look away. Lightning leaped down from the sky to meet the end of her staff with a crash of thunder. Bolts jumped in all directions.

Under the peals of thunder, Sailor Nyx's own screams mingled with those of the four boys.

Sailor Aether suddenly realized the reality of the situation, she gasped, putting a hand to her mouth, and grabbed hold of Sailor Erebus' arm. The flashing lightning seemed to go on forever. As they watched on in terror, Aether could have sworn she saw the shape of a black panther leaping through the dancing lightning bolts to Sailor Nyx's side.

Finally, the blaze faded away. The only lightning was now in the sky.

The Amazon Quartet lay motionless on the forest floor, NikNik still clutching the ancient tome. Sprawled out among them lay Sailor Nyx, just as still.

"Sailor Nyx!" Sailor Aether exclaimed, rushing towards her but stopped short. Purple smoke billowed around a figure that slowly materialized next to NikNik. A contorted hag with grayish purple skin, a skull-like crown, and a voluminous purple cloak stood cackling in the rain. "I know I couldn't trust you four to get a job done right," she rasped, "But you got close."

"Zir...conia..." NikNik wheezed, reaching out towards the hem of her cloak. "S—save... us..."

Laughing, Zirconia stooped down and pulled the Tome of the Secrets of the Realms from NikNik's dying hands. "You're not worth it," Zirconia chuckled.

"You heartless...!" Sailor Aether yelled and rushed towards her, but Zirconia raised her free hand, and blasted her back with dark energy. Yelling in dismay, she collided with Sailor Erebus, sending both of them head-over-heels into a large oak tree.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Sailor Soldiers," Zirconia rasped, still laughing victoriously, "Let's do business again sometime." She disappeared again in a puff of purple smoke. The bodies of the Amazon Quartet disappeared as well.

"No!" Sailor Erebus cried out as she struggled to stand, "We failed!"

Sailor Aether's mind was on other things, she hurried over to Sailor Nyx as fast as her battered limbs would allow. "Indira," she cried softly.

"I'm sorry," Sailor Nyx rasped. Already, her body had begun growing transparent, with points of navy blue light floating gently away, up towards the stormy heavens.

"No," Sailor Aether protested thickly through her tears, "No, you're not... Sailor Erebus, do something! Use your Mystic Revival."

"I can't!" Erebus argued tearfully, "Pegasus isn't here."

"Just try!" Aether begged as she grasped Indira's fading hand, "Please!"

Trying to steady herself, Sailor Erebus called wearily, "Mystic Revival!" The words were empty. Thunder crashed and the rain poured down mercilessly on their heads.

Sailor Aether sobbed all the harder as the last ounce of hope left her. "Indira don't—don't go," she hiccuped. "Please, don't go."

Sailor Nyx didn't respond. Sailor Erebus joined Sailor Aether crouching at her side. They watched in silence, letting the rain pound down on them, while Sailor Nyx's body slowly faded, away, dissolving into dark blue light.

When the last of it had faded away, Sailor Erebus stared helplessly down at the ground. "Now what can we do?" she asked hopelessly.

"I wonder if..." Aether said then rushed off into the brush. She found Sailor Cocytus still lying face-down in the mud, dream mirror floating undisturbed above her. She pushed it back in, rolled Sailor Cocytus over onto her back, and tried to prop her up into a sitting position. When she came to and opened her eyes, Sailor Aether gently asked, "Are you okay?" Sailor Erebus joined her, looking down on Sailor Cocytus with concern in her eyes.

Not answering directly, Sailor Cocytus replied with a question, "It's gone, isn't it?"


	17. Chapter 17

**One Last Chance**

_Chapter 17_

_Malia found herself sitting on a high cliff, staring out at a vast ocean below. It's indigo blue surface was tossed gently into waves by the breeze. A soft haze in the distance blurred the horizon between sea and sky._

_Tacita, wearing a flouncy light blue dress, settled onto the grass beside her, "How long have you been sitting here?"_

_Malia shrugged, noticing the teal gown she wore herself, "It doesn't matter. This place is so quiet and serene; not like Phlegethon at all. I could stare at the sea here all day. Are your duties at the temple done for today?" she asked, gesturing back towards the huge palace-like library and temple complex just behind them._

_Tacita nodded and giggled, "Freyr let me off easy today."_

"_Easily," Malia corrected with a wink._

_Tacita laughed, "You know, sometimes I wonder at how I'm the guardian of the realm of knowledge while you're guardian of Phlegethon, realm of anger."_

"_You'd rather guard Phlegethon?" Malia teased, "I know you hate all the fire down there."_

"_And you like it?" Tacita asked._

"_I guess it's something different, almost beautiful in all of its raging, when you draw power from it and call it your own," she replied pensively, "you know? But, I still love Cocytus. You can be calm here."_

"_There you two are!" Charisse said, scampering towards them from the temple. She wore a slimming gown of yellows and pinks. The cut was almost exactly like the dress Charisse had already picked out to wear to her junior Prom._

"_Where have you been?" Malia shot back playfully as she hurried over and joined them on the grass._

"_I was just at the capital, meeting with the generals again," she replied._

"_The 'four heavenly generals,' you mean?" Malia asked, "It seems almost silly to call them that. After all, they're only humans like the rest of us."_

"_You can say that because you have powers too," Charisse retorted wistfully, "But to the normal people on earth, they're much more mysterious and powerful."_

"_Then why don't they call us the 'seven heavenly soldiers' or something?" Malia suggested._

"_Because they hardly know we exist," Tacita answered, "Our realms are hidden to most people, even if they know that they exist." A small smile spreading across her face, she asked playfully, "Was Kunzite there?"_

_Blushing, Charisse replied, "He was."_

"_And did you confess your undying love to him this time?" Malia teased._

"_No," she replied, blushing even harder, "How could he take a guardian of the realm of love seriously? He'd probably think that Hemera was rubbing off on me. And besides..."_

"_Besides what?" Tacita asked._

"_Besides," she started, looking away, "I've heard rumors that he and the princess of Venus, well, you know..."_

"_Well, if they're just rumors, you shouldn't worry so much then," Malia encouraged her, "You should go for it while you have a chance."_

"_Oh, my ladies of Phlegethon and Cocytus, are you enjoying the view again?" Freyr, the gray-haired high priest, asked warmly as he crossed the lawn towards them. All three girls rose to meet him. "It is always a pleasure to see you two," he said, bowing._

"_And to see you, High Priest," Tacita curtsied back._

"_You three really are inseparable," he observed chuckling, "If I didn't know that you were all born from different families, and didn't look so different, I'd say you were sisters."_

Suddenly Sailor Phlegethon opened her eyes. In a blink, her world changed. She saw not the Sea of Secrets but oppressing darkness. Nothing had changed since she last awoke. Sailor Hemera and the newcomer, whom she now knew as Sailor Elysion from the memories that gradually returned to her, both lay still in their mirror prisons. She hoped they were both dreaming of happier days too.

Bowing low before the great mirror with the Tome of the Secrets of the Realms clutched in her gnarled hand, Zirconia began, "My beautiful Queen Nehelenia, we have succeeded at last."

"What is it, Zirconia?" a velvety woman's voice spoke back. A moment later, her majestic silhouette appeared in the mirror. "Have you brought me more empty promises?"

"No, my queen," Zirconia said quickly, ashamed, "We have the Tome at last."

"You do?" she asked, surprised, "Well done, Zirconia. You have finally proven yourself worthy of your post."

"Thank you, my queen," Zirconia said, groveling even lower.

"At last I can harness the power of youthful dreams. At last I can regain my former beauty," Nehelenia whispered eagerly, "Now, give it to me." A pale, twisted, and wrinkled hand slowly and painstakingly protruded out through the mirror. "Quickly!" she urged.

"Yes, of course," Zirconia stammered, and thrust the silver bound book into the outstretched hand. The hand quickly retracted behind the mirror's surface, taking the book with it.

"At last," she murmured, "at last..." The shadowy figure disappeared from the mirror, leaving Zirconia in pensive awe.

Michel strode up the short driveway to the Trey residence, trying his best to feel confident. By the time he climbed the two front steps and stood ready to press the doorbell, his confidence fled. Hesitantly, he pushed the round button then waited. Hearing someone coming, his heart began to pound.

A man in his late forties with a bushy mustache opened the door, "Hello?"

"Uh, hi," Michel stammered, "I'm Michel, Tacita's friend from school. Is she home? She hasn't been at school all week."

A pang of sadness swept across the man's face. "No, she's not home," he answered plainly.

"She's not home?" Michel asked, "I thought she was sick..."

The man, her father, shook his head, "She left a note saying that the three of them had gone on some kind of trip, but neither of her sisters are answering their phones. It's not like them to run off without saying anything, skipping school."

"You must be worried," Michel said slowly, a nameless fear washing over him as well.

Mr. Trey nodded.

"Well," Michel began again lamely, "When Tacita comes home, can you tell her I stopped by?"

"You said your name was Michel?" her father asked, nodding.

"Yeah," he replied, "Michel Corbin."

"Okay, I will tell her for you," he promised and put his hand on the door again to close it.

"Thanks," Michel said and retreated back down the steps, sidewalk, and driveway, clutching the pair of tickets in his hand more tightly. _I wonder where she could be? I hope she's okay. I really wanted to take her to the final show at the Dead Moon Circus this Friday. So much for that, I guess. I hope she's alright..._

"It's gone, isn't it?" Sailor Cocytus asked as she came to, supported by Sailor Aether.

Sailor Erebus nodded slowly, "We did everything we could to stop them. I'm sorry..."

"Don't be," Sailor Cocytus argued halfheartedly, "It was my duty to protect it and I failed. I am the one that should be apologizing."

"And we were supposed to protect you," Sailor Aether put in, "We failed at that too."

"Wait," Sailor Cocytus said urgently, trying to straighten up, "Where's Sailor Nyx? Did they take her too?"

"She's..." Sailor Aether started but didn't have the courage to finish it.

"She's dead," Erebus finished for her.

"Dead?" Cocytus gasped.

"But she took those four Amazon brats with her," Sailor Erebus tried to say encouragingly, but choked on the tears that suddenly welled up again.

"Sailor Nyx is gone. Sailor Elysion is gone," Cocytus said hopelessly, beginning to cry, "And so are Charisse and Malia. The enemies have the Tome of the Secrets of the Realms and Pegasus ran away, taking the Golden Crystal with him. Are we anything but complete failures? What do we have left to fight for?" Despair took her.

"I don't know any more," Aether said quietly.

The three wet and mud splattered sailors drew close to one another in a tearful, hopeless embrace. They let the rain pour down on them and didn't care. Lighting flashed again and thunder rolled. Sailor Erebus pulled back and stood up. "No, we can't give up now," she said as steadily as she could. "The others are counting on us to get that book back and keep fighting. I'm sure they're waiting and hoping for us to rescue them. We can't abandon them now."

Aether nodded, sniffing. She and Cocytus rose as they still supported each other. "You're right Althea," Sailor Aether agreed, "We can't forget about our friends when there is still something we can do to help them."

Taking in a deep breath, Sailor Cocytus said, "We came here to teleport to that tent in Anchorage, didn't we?"

Erebus nodded, "We may be one girl short now, but nothing is in our way now."

"I'm sure they expect us to give up and run home crying now," Sailor Aether added.

"Which is all the more reason we need to do this now," Sailor Erebus agreed.

"Okay," Sailor Cocytus said, extending one hand to each of them. They took her hands and helped her to stand, forming a small circle between the three of them.

"Sailor Teleport!"

In a flash of blues and gray, they were gone, leaving only battle-scared trees and muddy footprints.

The Amazoness trio stretched in the center of the big top. OspreyEye performed a few casual flips while OrcaEye practiced aerial rope exercises. Meanwhile, LionEye paced around the ring, casually juggling six glowing balls.

"So those boys managed to ferret out the magic book we were looking for," LionEye said irritably, "And scare off the pegasus they were looking for.

"I hear they didn't make it back alive though," OrcaEye said with dark satisfaction, "I guess those sailors finally got the better of them before Zirconia gave those girls what-for."

Holding herself in a perfectly erect hand-stand, OspreyEye sighed, "Now what are we supposed to do, though?"

"I don't understand why Zirconia is even keeping to the schedule of one last show tomorrow night," OrcaEye complained, "If we know we're not going to find anything, why bother?"

"Well, it's something to do, isn't it?" OspreyEye pointed out, "And it will keep us sharp for when Zirconia remembers that we're here and bored."

The winged eyeball soared through their midst and up towards Zirconia's platform.

"Huh, Zircon?" LionEye observed, "We haven't seen that creepy little thing around in a while."

As Zircon reached its destination, Zirconia appeared in her usual puff of purple smoke. Zircon settled onto the top of Zirconia's staff again. "So you're back," Zirconia rasped, "What did you find? Did you track Pegasus down?"

Zircon proceeded to project a series images from its dark pupil: tall buildings, sloping roofed temples, a tall tower built of red and white girders, packed shopping districts, bustling railway stations, and amusement parks. "Tokyo, Japan is it?" Zirconia observed thoughtfully, "So that's where Pegasus fled to? Perhaps he chose the busiest city on this pitiful planet hoping to find more beautiful dreamers among the millions that live there. So be it." The stream of images ceased and Zirconia turned his attention to the Amazoness Trio below. "You three, cancel our Anchorage show," she ordered, "We're pulling out and heading to Tokyo as soon as everything is ready."

"Yes Zirconia!" they chorused and bowed.

Rushing off into the darkness of the circus tent, OrcaEye murmured, "But I don't speak Japanese..."

Sailor Aether and Sailor Erebus cautiously crept along behind Sailor Cocytus as she led the way through the dimness. They hugged close to the walls, freezing at the smallest noise in the distance or slightest flutter of a curtain. As they slunk through the vast Dead Moon Circus tent, all they seemed to find were more long corridors connected to storage rooms full of crates, cages, and barrels. It almost seemed as if the place was abandoned. Almost.

None of them said a word. Sailor Cocytus wished that she had her sisters with her again. Their sign language had been invaluable the first time she came. In dark moments like this, she wanted the people she trusted most and knew best at her back. Nerine and Althea were strong girls and devoted to their cause, but she hardly knew them. She couldn't predict their actions the way she could for her sisters. Nerine and Althea seemed to know each other decently well, but circumstances had thrown them together, not a long standing friendship. In the end, however, Cocytus was glad to have them with her. She certainly wouldn't want to face this again alone.

Suddenly, they heard voices coming towards them. The trio of sailors quickly ducked back into a storage room they had just passed and cowered behind a stack of crates near the doorway.

"...think it's silly that we have to take down all of our posters and put a big 'canceled' sign out before we leave this place and go chasing after that pegasus," LionEye's familiar voice whined. "Who cares if the local humans get suspicious? We're leaving anyway."

"I dunno, but what that old hag says goes," OrcaEye replied.

"You know," LionEye said three sets of footsteps passed by the storage room, "You'd think we'd get a day off or at least a party now that those sailor brats are totally defeated and we have their book."

"There's no rest for the wicked," OspreyEye replied with a chuckle.

Murmuring, they walked on beyond Tacita's range of hearing. Turning to her two companions, she whispered softly, "That was the Amazoness Trio. We have to be careful."

The other two nodded wordlessly. They crouched in the storage room for a few minutes more to be sure that the corridor was empty before Sailor Cocytus led them out again. Moving silently as shadows, Cocytus took them towards the place where she and her sisters had spied on the Amazoness Trio last time. Always thinking it was the next doorway or just around the corner, she realized with some horror that she no longer knew where they were. "I'm lost," she whispered at last.

Sailor Aether looked afraid but Erebus just shrugged. "Then we're no worse off than you were last time," she whispered back.

From that moment on, Sailor Erebus took the lead. She paused at every intersection of hallways listening carefully before deciding which to follow. Their path did take them slowly upward, with a narrow stairway here and there, but not with the same speed that Cocytus had ascended last time.

As they went, their scenery began to change. Rather than tent halls, their passage was lined with cold gray stone instead, lit occasionally with eerily flickering torches. Something inside of Tacita told her that they were nearing the heart of the circus. Her apprehension grew.

The stone corridor they snuck along continued on and on, straight and then twisting. There were no doors on the sides or any other halls that met with it. The lack of escape routes seemed to be making Sailor Erebus nervous. She pushed their pace almost to a run, eager to get someplace with more cover.

Finally, then came to a great wooden door, unlike any Sailor Cocytus had seen on her first visit. It must have been two stories tall, but there was a smaller door cut into its face, the right size for a person.

"Do you recognize this place?" Sailor Erebus asked quietly.

She shook her head.

"Well, it's either go in or turn back," Erebus whispered as she slowly grasped the door knob in one hand. Twisting it around, she gingerly pushed the door open and stepped inside. The others followed. They were met by eerie laughter reverberating all around the cavernous room. It died away to an even eerier silence.

"I don't like this," Sailor Aether murmured.

"I don't either," Sailor Cocytus whispered back.

Taking a deep breath, Sailor Erebus urged, "Well, let's get moving."

As dimly lit as the rest of the circus, the vast chamber could have been a banquet hall or a throne room in some glorious age past. The shadowy unlit chandeliers high above on the vaulted ceiling could have been splendid in their day. In the darkness, they were threatening spidery shapes, providing neither warmth nor light. Now, the room was filled from end to end with a maze of tall black shapes. At first, Tacita thought they were the more of the red boards that the Amazoness Trio always used to trap their victims, but as they drew closer, she drew back and gasped.

"What is it?" Sailor Aether asked her cautiously.

"Mirrors," she replied, pointing at the mass of dark shapes ahead of them. "We have to be careful. The Dead Moon uses mirrors as traps. Remember what I told you about how my sisters and I got lost the first time?"

Both Erebus and Aether nodded gravely. "We'll be careful," Sailor Erebus promised and continued towards the labyrinth of mirrors.

Fear rising up in her chest, Sailor Cocytus wanted to stop them, to tell them to turn back. _I can't be controlled by fear. I'm a guardian Sailor Soldier of the Earth. _Swallowing hard, she scampered after Sailor Erebus and Sailor Aether. Together, they entered the maze. Sailor Erebus led them quickly and quietly through the narrow passages between the mirrors, turning around at dead ends and pressing on through promising paths. None of them said a word and the eerie laughter did not return. The only sound was that of their shoes on the cold stone floor.

As they came to perhaps their hundredth dead end, Sailor Erebus cursed softly, "If anyone could figure this place out... My realm was supposed to be the Labyrinth of Mysteries. I should be good at this."

"I think," Sailor Aether said slowly, "that the paths might be shifting."

"What makes you say that?" Sailor Erebus asked crossly, tapping her foot.

"I just get this feeling," Aether shrugged.

"Well, there's no point in standing around. Let's keep going," Sailor Erebus whispered impatiently. She turned and strode back the direction they had come, but soon stopped short. Where there had been an open passageway, a mirror loomed in their way. They reeled around, searching in all directions for a way out but found none.

"We're trapped," Sailor Aether said in a hushed voice.

Laughter again reverberated through the hall, this time much closer. The three sailors stepped closer together, back to back, staring at their own reflections. Suddenly, the laughing stopped, and three of their reflections began moving of their own accord.

"You silly girls fell right into our trap," Sailor Aether's reflection cackled. The voice was not her own.

"It's hopeless, you know," Sailor Cocytus' said in a sing-song voice.

"Surrender now and perhaps our great Queen Nehelenia will be merciful," Sailor Erebus's invited.

"You think we'd come all this way just to surrender without a fight?" Sailor Erebus spat back at her own reflection.

"Have it your way then," Cocytus' reflection sang. The other two laughed maliciously.

Sailor Cocytus bit her lip nervously but stepped forward, "Sky Shower Shatter!"

With a resounding shattering crash, the mirrors around them fell to pieces, leaving a clear path to the exit.

"Let's go!" Sailor Erebus shouted and sprinted across the broken glass towards the door at the other end. She had gotten no more than ten steps closer to the exit when a figure loomed up in front of her.

"Going somewhere?" it asked.

Sailor Erebus skidded to a halt, eyes wide in disbelief. Standing in front of her was a living, breathing copy of herself. "You..." she whispered.

"Don't look so surprised," a second Sailor Cocytus sang, stepping up next to the false Erebus.

"What else did you expect from the hall of tricks?" a false Sailor Aether asked as she joined them.

"What do we do?" Sailor Aether asked in a whisper as she and Cocytus caught up with Sailor Erebus.

"We fight, I guess," Sailor Erebus replied.

"Be careful," Sailor Cocytus urged.

Leaping forward, Sailor Erebus cried, "Darkness Lifting Contradiction!"

Her reflection jumped out to meet her, "Darkness Lifting Contradiction!"

The two smoky gray attacks met each other and dissolved

"Sky Shower Shatter!"

"Moonlight Flash!"

Their clones moved into action as well.

"Moonlight Flash!"

"Sky Shower Shatter!"

This time, the attacks crossed paths. The Cocytus attacks met and exploded mid-air, but Sailor Aether's knocked down the false Cocytus. Meanwhile, the false Aether's attack struck Sailor Cocytus.

Picking herself back up again from the shattered mirrors that covered the floor, Sailor Cocytus exclaimed, "They copy our attacks as soon as we do them!"

"Then I guess we have to expect it and be faster than they are," Sailor Erebus said grimly, just loud enough for her friends to hear her, "Besides, they're just cheap imitations." She readied herself again and yelled, "Darkness Lifting Contradiction!" Her copy imitated her attack, but Sailor Erebus dove out of the way and, in doing so, aimed lower than the false Erebus. The attack met its mark while Sailor Erebus dodged her copy's attack entirely. Her copy screamed and fell to the ground. However, as she tucked and rolled on the ground, the mirror shards covered her arms and legs in shallow cuts. Cursing quietly, she stood again.

"Let's get the fake Althea," Aether whispered to Cocytus, who nodded in agreement. "I don't think they'll attack unless we do." Simultaneously, they jumped into action.

"Sky Shower Shatter!"

"Moonlight Flash!"

The shimmering combination of attacks struck the false Sailor Erebus squarely in the chest as she struggled to get up. Screaming, she shattered into mirror pieces like all the Dead Moon monsters they had ever fought.

However, both of their clones also launched attacks at the real Sailor Erebus. Knocking her back to the ground, she screamed, "Ouch! Was that really necessary?"

By her angry yells, they knew she was alright and left her to take care of herself. Cocytus and Aether's focus was still on their own copies. "Let's go after mine next," Sailor Aether suggested.

"You sure?" Cocytus asked quietly.

Sailor Aether nodded, "I'll try and pull with Erebus did that one time."

Again, they attacked together.

"Moonlight Flash!"

"Sky Shower Shatter!"

Neither Sailor Aether nor her copy were fast enough to avoid the attacks. Both screamed and fell down to the shard covered ground.

Sailor Erebus caught on and jumped into action, "Darkness Lifting Contradiction!" Her attack was not mirrored and was enough to tip the balance. The fake Sailor Aether shattered, shrieking and wailing.

"You okay?" Sailor Cocytus asked, offering a hand to Sailor Aether.

With Cocytus' help, she shakily stood. "I think so," she replied with a smile, "Just a little beat up, that's all."

Sailor Erebus joined them and said, "Okay, we just have one left. Sailor Cocytus, you sit this one out. If you don't attack, I don't think she will either."

Sailor Cocytus nodded and fell back behind the other two sailors who readied to attack.

"Darkness Lifting Contradiction!"

"Moonlight Flash!"

Rather than passively awaiting their attacks, the false Sailor Cocytus dodged out of the way, and in one great leap, landed behind the trio of Sailor Soldiers. Grinning wickedly, she landed one forceful kick at the back of the real Sailor Cocytus' legs, knocking her down. With a yelp, she collapsed, flailing for her attacker. She managed to catch her copy's ankles and the two tumbled town together.

Sailor Aether and Erebus drew back in surprise. As the two Cocytus wrestled on the ground, it was difficult to distinguish one body from the other. Finally one of them broke free and stood up, staggering back away from the other, who still rolled on the ground, trying to get up. "Quick, now's your chance!" Sailor Cocytus urged, pointing down at the copy that still struggled to rise, tangled in her own long hair.

"Alright!" Sailor Erebus raised her hands, "Darkness Lifting—!"

"Moonlight—!" Sailor Aether started, but stopped herself, "Wait!" The Sailor Cocytus that stood before them had vibrantly yellow eyes, not the gentle teal ones that she was used to seeing.

Sailor Erebus quickly redirected her attack and finished, "Contradiction!" She caught the clone off-guard and it shattered, shrieking.

"I'm sorry we almost attacked you," Sailor Aether said, hurrying over to help Sailor Cocytus up one more time.

"No, it's alright," Sailor Cocytus said weakly, "It would have been that fake me's fault anyway."

"Are you okay though?" Sailor Erebus asked.

"I think so," she responded slowly.

"That was close," Erebus breathed a sigh of relief, "Let's get out of here before something else strange happens."

"We must be close to something important if there was a trap like this in our way," Sailor Cocytus observed, "They can't have known we were coming and set it especially for us."

"I hope you're right about that," Sailor Erebus said, "We need to especially be on our guard now. Let's go." She jogged off across the hall towards the huge doorway at the other end, the others following her. Not only covered in mud, all three now bore prominent cuts all over their bodies. Sailor Cocytus still had mirror shards caught in her long hair. They had neither the time or supplies to care for their injuries, so they pressed on.

Reaching the door on the far side, Sailor Erebus pushed it open and passed into another long stone corridor. This was lit by more frequent torches than any they had passed through before.

Pausing in the doorway behind her two companions, Sailor Aether stared apprehensively down the passage in front of them. "Here we go," she murmured, then hurried after them.

In the darkness, Nehelenia poured over the Tome of the Secrets of the Realm. It did not take her long to find what she was looking for. She took the volume in her hand and approached the large mirror that marked the edge of her confinement. Pausing, she stared bitterly up at the web cage suspended from the ceiling. Hanging naked amid the webs was the limp body of a young man. "I have your body but not your soul, Helios," she hissed, "I may not have your Golden Crystal, but now I have your realm and all the power within it."

Laughing, she proceeded towards the mirror and began to read from the book in her hands, chanting an ancient incantation. All at once, the mirror surface before her began to swirl with magic, becoming like a window into a crystal wood. Nehelenia stepped through the mirror's glassy surface with a eager smile on her face.

"Elysion is mine."


	18. Chapter 18

**The Beautiful Queen**

_Chapter 18_

"Zirconia!" Nehelenia's triumphant voice boomed.

Bowing low in front of the mirror, Zirconia responded, "Yes, my beautiful queen?"

"Are the preparations to move the circus ready yet?" she asked impatiently.

As Zirconia straightened up, she drew back in surprise. Instead of the silhouette that she had become so accustomed to, Nehelenia stood clearly in the light before her, more beautiful than she remembered. Her skin was pale and perfect as porcelain and her long hair hung down in glossy dark locks around her. "Yes, my queen," she stammered, adding, "It is a great pleasure to look upon your beauty again after so long."

Nehelenia chuckled, putting a hand politely to her mouth. "I want you to move out immediately," she ordered, "There is no time to waste. Now that I have the power of Elysion in my hands, I am certain that victory will be soon. We have nothing to fear from those Sailor brats any more."

"Yes, my queen. We will take off right away," Zirconia submitted and bowed again. By the time she looked up again, Nehelenia was gone.

The path ahead of Sailor Erebus, Sailor Cocytus, and Sailor Aether continued to rise with few choices otherwise. Other than their encounter in the Hall of Tricks, they met no one else.

As they crept up yet another spiral staircase, hearts pounding for fear that someone was right around the bend, the ground beneath their feet began to shudder. "What?" Sailor Aether murmured, noticing it first. She stopped and leaned against the wall for support.

The shuddering increased into a violent shaking and tossing. Both Erebus and Cocytus lost their footing. Sailor Erebus grabbed hold of Aether's arm as she fell and pulled the shorter girl down with her. They landed on the steps tangled in each other, knocking over Sailor Cocytus as they fell.

"It's an earthquake!" Cocytus yelped as she grappled for the edge of the stairs to keep from falling farther.

The three sailors hung on, praying that the stairwell wouldn't come down around them. After nearly a minute, the shaking slowly eased up then stopped entirely.

Carefully, cautiously, they stood and resumed their ascension of the steps. Meeting no one, they finally reached the top and stepped into a wide landing. Two hallways took off from it, one to the left and one to the right. Directly in front of them was a wide, straight staircase that plunged upward into the gloom. A lit chandelier hung from the vaulted ceiling above.

"Now which way?" Sailor Erebus murmured, peering down the hallway to her left.

"We could keep going up," Cocytus suggested, "That seemed to work last time I was here."

Sailor Erebus nodded slowly, "Okay, let's keep with that strategy then."

No sooner had they climbed the first two steps did they hear voices descending from above.

Sailor Aether quickly turned to run, but it was already too late.

"What have we here?" LionEye asked, pleased, as she continued down towards them. OrcaEye and OspreyEye flanked her to the right and left.

"Oh no," Sailor Cocytus gasped, "It's them!"

"It looks like a couple of little girls trying to rescue their friends," OrcaEye said mockingly. "The road for you three ends here. I don't know how you got here in the first place, but you're not getting up these stairs to your friends. They're plenty comfy in their mirror prisons."

"And soon you will be too," OspreyEye taunted and snapped her fingers. Tall mirrors sprung up all around them.

"Be careful!" Sailor Cocytus urged her fellow sailors.

"Darkness Lifting Contradiction!" Sailor Erebus attacked the mirrors closest to them. They shattered, but at a finger snap, more new mirrors appeared in their place.

"That won't work this time," OspreyEye said haughtily. The Amazon Trio reached the floor of the wide landing and faced off against the trio of Terran Soldiers.

"Moonlight Flash!" Sailor Aether yelled, trying to feel brave. All three circus women easily dodged out of the way.

As LionEye dove away, she whipped her arm around in a grand gesture. One of the mirrors behind Sailor Aether slid across the floor towards her.

"Aether! Look out!" Cocytus yelled.

Aether whirled around and saw the mirror speeding towards her. She leaped out of the way just in the nick of time.

All three members of the Amazoness Trio had regained their footing and were waving their arms in calculated movements. The mirrors around them were all in motion.

The sailors found themselves ducking and dodging one mirror only to be almost caught by another. Nerves on edge, the constant whirling and jumping was exhausting. They lost track of each other, the Amazoness Trio and even their own location. There wasn't time to attack their aggressors.

_This can't go on forever, _Sailor Erebus thought desperately, _We have to turn on the offensive. _Suddenly finding herself driven towards the spiral staircase they had just ascended, she dove back down it while the Amazoness Quartet's view of her was blocked by the undulating mirrors. Peering around the edge of the stairs, she watched anxiously for Sailor Aether and Sailor Cocytus. _I hope they haven't been caught._ Sailor Aether, in her dodging and tumbling, came close to the spiral staircase, looking exhausted. Sailor Erebus waited for the right instant, then jumped out and pulled Aether into the cover of the stairs.

Sailor Aether yelped, but when she saw it was a friend who had grabbed her and not an enemy, she quickly cowered down into the protective cover of the stairwell.

"We have to think of something," Sailor Erebus whispered to her while she watched for Sailor Cocytus. Finally, they caught sight of her amid the shifting mirrors. She had adopted the dangerous but elegant strategy of hugging close to the back of one mirror, then shifting to another if the mirrors got too close. This kept her out of sight of her enemies so they couldn't send mirrors directly at her.

"She looks like she's done this before," Sailor Aether observed quietly.

Sailor Cocytus' movements almost looked like a cautious improvised dance, with mirrors for partners.

"I think we have them," they heard LionEye announce proudly. Suddenly, the mirrors stopped. Sailor Cocytus scrambled to a halt as quietly as she could and held her breath.

"Let's see which mirrors they got stuck in and put them upstairs," OrcaEye suggested.

The women from the Dead Moon left their post by the stairs and stepped out into the maze of mirrors. As they did, they were lost from Erebus and Aether's view.

"Let's try and put them in the mirrors," Sailor Aether suggested.

"I like the way you think," Erebus whispered back with a grin.

Carefully, the crept out of the stairs and darted behind separate mirrors, watching the reflections in the other mirrors nearby for the perfect moment.

"I don't see them," LionEye complained, walking over towards them, "Maybe they went down the stairwell again."

"Go check it out," OspreyEye ordered.

"Fine," she replied, "I'll find those cowards." She hardly finished her sentence when two mirrors flew towards her, pushed by Sailor Erebus and Sailor Aether. She didn't have time to scream before she was trapped face-first in Erebus' mirror.

"What's going on over—?" OspreyEye demanded, dashing through the mirrors towards the stairwell. Aether and Erebus hurried behind another pair of mirrors, readying themselves, but Sailor Cocytus had already caught on. A mirror slid out into OspreyEye's path. She didn't know what had happened until she found herself trapped inside.

A feeling of foreboding suddenly struck OrcaEye. "OspreyEye? LionEye?" she called.

"Why don't you try to come and find them?" Sailor Erebus' voice rang out invitingly from the mass of mirrors.

"How did you...?" she started but trailed away as she realized how alone she was. Turning on her heels, she ran down the nearest hallway.

"Quick! She's getting away!" Sailor Cocytus cried, trying to find a clear path towards her.

Mustering all of her energy, Sailor Erebus sprinted out through the mirrors and down the hall. She could see OrcaEye's silver hair bobbing around not far ahead in the distance. Taking in rhythmic breaths and falling into a familiar rhythm she clattered down the stone hallway. There was little lighting, but she didn't need it. Her body knew how to run. Sailor Aether and Sailor Cocytus hurried after her, but she didn't notice. In a race, the only thing that mattered was the leader.

OrcaEye glanced over her shoulder and her eyes widened. Sailor Erebus was quickly gaining on her. She stumbled, catching her stride in her long blue skirt. In an instant, Sailor Erebus skidded by her with fire in her eyes.

"Darkness Lifting Contradiction!" she panted. The attack struck OrcaEye from only an arm's length away, blasting her to the floor screaming. By then Sailor Cocytus and Sailor Aether had caught up with them and surrounded OrcaEye.

Cowering between them, OrcaEye whimpered, "Please! I haven't done anything!"

"Tell that to my sisters!" Sailor Cocytus exploded. Both Aether and Erebus looked at her in surprise, but Cocytus continued to glare down at OrcaEye.

Suddenly inspired by some memory from their past that was just out of their reach, the three sailors cried together, "Sailor Realm Attack!" Sky blue, light blue, and gray light glowed around Sailor Aether, Sailor Cocytus, and Sailor Erebus. In unison, they swung their arms towards OrcaEye and energy surged out of them in a bright white flash.

OrcaEye let out a gut-wrenching scream. When the light faded, a small, lifeless killer whale lay in her place.

Sailor Aether stepped back in amazement, "So she wasn't human all along."

"I'm sure that scream got someone's attention," Sailor Erebus said quickly, "We need to get moving before someone else comes along."

"They said that our friends were up those stairs," Sailor Cocytus reminded them, her heart leaping at the thought of being able to see her sisters again.

"Okay, let's go then," Sailor Erebus said and tore off down the hall again. The three sailors wove their way through the mirrors again and hurried up the wide staircase. Meanwhile, LionEye and OspreyEye pounded fruitlessly at the glass from inside their mirror prisons.

At the top of the stairway was another long hallway. Racing along it, they found all of the doors to be locked, but a single door at the end of it hung ajar. When they reached it, Sailor Cocytus cautiously pushed the door open and stepped inside. The room was another great storage room, but this one seemed better maintained than any of the others they had seen before. Crates and boxes were strewn throughout the room along with a cluster of tall mirrors in the far corner.

"Mirrors," Cocytus whispered and started towards them.

"Be careful," Sailor Erebus hissed as she crept after her.

Sailor Aether gently shut the door behind them and joined her friends in their cautious trip across the room. They ducked from crate to crate in an erratic pattern, making their way towards the mirrors. They met no one.

Sailor Cocytus was the first one to step out among the mirrors, bristling with excitement and apprehension. Erebus and Aether closely followed. Walking among them, Sailor Cocytus saw only her own reflection and her heart sank.

"Look!" Sailor Aether suddenly exclaimed, pointing to the mirror Sailor Cocytus stood in front of.

"What?" she asked, then squinted harder. Beyond her reflection, she could vaguely make out another person waving excitedly. Her jaw dropped and she stepped backwards a pace. "Malia!" she exclaimed. Her younger sister's lips were moving, but she couldn't hear her voice.

"Look!" Sailor Aether exclaimed, "Another!"

Whirling around, Cocytus saw Sailor Hemera staring out at them expectantly.

"Damia is here!" Sailor Erebus cried, standing in front of the mirror next to Hemera's. She breathed out a sigh of relief, "They're all alive."

"But we can't talk to them," Sailor Aether said disappointedly.

"Yes we can," Sailor Cocytus argued smartly, "My sisters at least." Standing back so both Sailor Hemera and Sailor Phlegethon could see her hands, she began to sign rapidly, _'I'm so glad you're alright. I've been so worried. We've come to get you out and end this mess.'_

_'What happened after we got captured?' _Sailor Hemera asked.

_'I escaped and then flew down to find them in Illinois,' _Cocytus explained, _'I knew I needed help. We were doing fine until the Amazon Quartet held a bunch of kids hostage. Somehow they found out that one of us was the Secret Keeper.'_

_'I'm sorry,'_ Sailor Hemera signed, hanging her head, _'That's my fault.'_

_'Don't be,' _Cocytus replied firmly, _'It turns out that I have been the Secret Keeper all along. That's why I was deaf. Sailor Elysion here turned herself in instead of me, but she had Helios and the Golden Crystal inside of her this whole time. He ran away. They came back again when they found out she didn't have the book. This time, Sailor Nyx killed them all along with herself, but Zirconia got the book out of me anyway. We really failed.'_

_'But you're here,'_ Sailor Phlegethon argued.

_'We knew we had to rescue you guys and to try to get the Tome back,' _Cocytus signed.

"What are you saying to them? How can we get them out?" Sailor Erebus asked impatiently. All the while, Sailor Elysion watched them anxiously, hands pressed against the glass.

"I told them about what has happened since they were trapped here," she replied, "I'll ask them if they have any ideas for escape." Turning her attention back to her sisters, she asked, _'Do you have any ideas on how we could get you out?'_

Both girls shook their heads. That was a gesture even Erebus and Aether understood.

_'They've never let us out of these mirror prisons. Sailor Elysion did use an attack from inside once, but it bounced around inside and eventually knocked her out,' _Sailor Hemera explained.

_'I think she did that rather than submit to their torture and questioning,' _Sailor Phlegethon added pensively.

"Torture!" Sailor Cocytus gasped out loud as she signed the word.

"Torture?" Sailor Erebus demanded, "They were tortured?"

Sailor Cocytus nodded, "It seems so. And they have no idea how to get out."

"We could break the mirrors," Sailor Aether suggested, "Maybe that would let them out."

"I don't know about that," Sailor Cocytus replied slowly, "What if they only exist inside the mirrors now? Maybe if we broke them, we'd lose them forever."

Sailor Erebus shuddered, "I don't like that risk."

Sailor Aether sighed, "But what else can we do?" Just then, her eyes were drawn to Sailor Elysion's mirror. Breathing foggy condensation onto the glass, she painstakingly etched out words with her finger: 'I'm sorry. Where's Nyx?' Both Erebus and Cocytus saw it as well.

Sailor Erebus stepped forward and breathed onto the mirror herself. Writing backwards so Sailor Elysion could read it, she answered: 'Dead.'

Sailor Elysion hung her head, mouthing words that they couldn't hear. Sailor Cocytus, however, understood. "She says she's sorry and that it's all her fault. She wishes that she could have been there for us," Sailor Cocytus said.

"You heard her?" Sailor Aether asked in disbelief.

"No," she replied shortly, "But I read lips."

"Damia, it's not your fault!" Sailor Erebus cried out, desperately hoping that she heard, "You did something that none of us were brave enough to do. You bought us another day, and we used it. Now we're here to get you out and end this."

The tearful stare that she gave Sailor Erebus gave them hope that she understood.

Sailor Aether approached the mirror, breathed on it, and drew the simple outline of a heart. "We love you Damia," she said encouragingly, "You're great."

"What's this?" Zirconia wondered out loud as she came upon a wide section of hallway scattered haphazardly with mirrors. A tapping sound came from somewhere in the midst of them. Slowly plodding in, her staff thumping beside her with every step, Zirconia laid eyes on two mirrors that didn't bear her own hideous reflection. OspreyEye and LionEye were locked behind the glass.

"What happened here?" she demanded, magically releasing the sound barrier on their cages.

"The sailors!" LionEye gasped, "They're here!"

"And they locked you two fools in your own traps?" Zirconia demanded.

"I don't know how they did it, but they're still out there!" OspreyEye exclaimed.

"Zirconia, please let us out!" LionEye begged, "We need to catch them before they—"

"I have no need for failures like you two any more," Zirconia sneered.

"Zirconia, the sailors, they went—" LionEye said quickly, but was cut off as her body began to glow and transform. She shrieked, but her screams melded into roars. In the other mirror, OspreyEye stared in horror at her own arms as her skin bristled and became feathers.

Moments later, a lioness and a raptor stood in their places.

Smiling satisfactorily, Zirconia threw her arms into the air and all the mirrors around her burst into shards. A lion's desperate roar and osprey's screech mingled with the shattering, but soon, all was silent. With a snap of Zirconia's fingers, the shards on the floor instantly disappeared. Seeing the body of killer whale lying limply down the hallway in front of her, Zirconia continued towards it. "Those twerps must have gone this way," she concluded, "They don't stand a chance here in the circus by themselves."

Someone laughed. It was a small, satisfied chuckle.

"What are you laughing about?" Sailor Erebus demanded, glaring at Sailor Cocytus.

Eyes wide, she glanced around her, "I didn't laugh."

"I didn't either..." Sailor Aether added fearfully.

Someone laughed again; this time longer.

"That's definitely not us and it's definitely not them," Sailor Aether whispered, making a small gesture towards the mirrors. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end and a chill ran down her spine.

"Then who...?" Sailor Cocytus murmured.

"Someone else is here," Sailor Erebus said softly, switching into a defensive stance.

The laugh came again, even louder and longer than before. A woman's voice began murmuring, "Never underestimate the power of dreams."

"Show yourself!" Sailor Erebus demanded.

The woman's voice laughed maliciously. Suddenly, all of the mirrors around them, including those that held their friends, held silhouetted reflections of a woman in a voluminous gown with long, flowing hair. "Never underestimate the power of dreams," she chanted.

"Who are you?" Sailor Aether demanded fearfully.

She laughed again. Dark lightning leaped out of all the mirrors and enveloped Erebus, Aether, and Cocytus. They screamed, writhing in pain. Unseen, from inside their mirrors, Elysion, Phlegethon, and Hemera pounded helplessly at the glass, wanting desperately to be free to help them.

By the time the lightning let up, only Sailor Erebus remained shakily standing. Sailor Cocytus and Sailor Aether crouched panting and wheezing at her feet.

"Stop hiding like a coward and come out where we can see you," Sailor Erebus demanded with bluffed bravery.

"Never underestimate the power of dreams," the woman's voice repeated again and broke into peals of laughter. As before, the mirrors around them began to move of their own accord. Cocytus and Aether leaped to their feat, ready to dodge out of the way. In moments, the three sailors were separated. The woman's silhouette undulated across all of the mirrors that swirled around them.

"Not this again," Sailor Cocytus breathed, then, taking aim, called, "Sky Shower—!" She stopped herself. "Malia or Charisse could be one of these, and I'd never know," she thought out loud, then quickly dodged out of the way of another mirror. At least these moved more slowly than the mirrors controlled by the Amazoness Trio had.

Sailor Erebus was about to attack when she heard Sailor Cocytus cut herself short. _Why would she...? Because Elysion, Hemera, and Phlegethon could still be in there! _"Damn!" she hissed, "What can we do?"

Sailor Aether frantically looked about here. All she could see was mirrors bearing the figure of that mysterious woman, who threw her head back and laughed again. Aether's two companions were nowhere to be seen. "Where are you?" she whispered, "We can't defeat you unless we find out where you are..."

"Never underestimate the power of dreams. Never underestimate the power of dreams."

"Stop saying that!" Sailor Erebus yelled out, ducking and rolling out of the way of two mirrors that closed in on her.

One of the mirrors in front of Sailor Cocytus stopped moving. Curiously drawn to it, she stepped forward. The silhouette of the woman faded away reveling Sailor Phlegethon behind it. Hands pressed against the glass, she mouthed, "Help me." Slowly, painstakingly, Sailor Phlegethon's gloved hand pushed its way past the mirror's surface, reaching out for Sailor Cocytus.

"Malia!" Sailor Cocytus gasped, and took a hold of the hand. The moment she grasped it, it tightly enclosed around her own. Looking down in surprise, Sailor Cocytus saw a pale hand with long fingernails instead of her younger sister's smaller hand. She hardly had time to cry out before it violently pulled her back inside the mirror.

The truncated shriek that echoed through the room made Sailor Erebus and Sailor Aether freeze. "Sailor Cocytus?" Sailor Erebus called out.

There was no response.

"Tacita!" Sailor Aether yelled.

Still no answer.

Sailor Aether swallowed hard and focused her attention more intently on the sliding mirrors.

Sailor Erebus, driven farther and farther away from Aether, clenched her fists in frustration. _I can't do anything to stop this without risking killing one of our friends._

"Never underestimate the power of dreams," the amused voice echoed throughout the room.

Suddenly, Sailor Aether heard footsteps coming towards her. A shadow darted towards her from mirror to mirror. Instinctively, she turned and ran through the first opening she could find. Free of the mirror maze, she could see the open door to the hallway. The faster she ran, however, the faster the mirrors and the echoing footsteps pursued her. Her heart beat loudly in her ears, making her forget about anything but her terror and need to run away.

As she approached the doorway, she suddenly remembered that she had closed it when they came in. The lighting in the hallway seemed to reflect strangely back into the room.

_Reflection._

Sailor Aether realized her mistake too late. She slammed into and through the surface of the false door—the mirror.

The woman's voice let out a long and satisfied laugh. "Never underestimate the power of dreams."

"Where are you?" Sailor Erebus demanded angrily as she rhythmically avoided mirror after mirror.

"Never underestimate the power of dreams."

"Gah!" Erebus cried out, slapping her hands over her ears, "Stop saying that!"

"Never underestimate the power of dreams. Never underestimate the power of dreams."

"I'm not! Okay?" she retorted angrily, "Just stop it, will you?"

"Never underestimate the power of dreams."

Screaming angrily, Sailor Erebus asked, "Who are you?"

"Never underestimate the power of dreams," the voice chanted over and over, faster and faster.

Sailor Erebus' head spun. Furious, her vision closed in. "Stop it!" she screamed.

"Never underestimate the power of dreams."

She screamed in dismay and fell to her knees. "Who are you?" she cried desperately just as two mirrors closed in on her. Her reflexes failed her. In a confused stumble, she fell into the closest mirror, crying angry tears.

"I am the beautiful queen of the new moon," the voice stopped chanting at last, "Queen Nehelenia." Peals of her laughter echoed almost endlessly throughout the hall. The shifting mirrors disappeared, leaving no trace except the three mirrors beside the others that reflected the images of Sailor Erebus, Sailor Aether, and Sailor Cocytus, each pounding hopelessly at the glassy surface.

When Indira, Damia, Althea, and Nerine didn't return home that night, frantic phone calls were made from house to house. When they didn't return by that weekend, the Chailyns were accused of mass kidnapping. It was brought up that their own daughter was missing and the charges were dropped. Missing person reports were filed with the police and their families waited and hoped.

Such reports had been filed already up in Anchorage for the three Trey sisters. Mrs. Trey cut her trip to Russia short and rushed home, but it made no difference. No evidence was found and the girls never answered their phones.

Days passed.

Weeks passed.

Their families and friends began to lose hope, fearing the worst. Meanwhile, in the darkness, Damia, Althea, Nerine, Tacita, Malia, and Charisse lost whatever hope they still clung to.


	19. Chapter 19

**Entering Elysion**

_Chapter 19_

Time passed strangely in the mirror prisons. The Terran Soldiers needed neither food nor drink. Hours seemed like days while weeks seemed like only minutes. Without the setting of the sun or rising of the moon, none of them could count the days that they remained locked in the darkness. They slept not because they were weary, but because there was nothing else to do. They slipped in and out of consciousness, reality mingling with dreams and nightmares.

While the Terran Soldiers waited in the darkness with nothing but their own thoughts for company, the Dead Moon did not rest. The circus tent uprooted itself from Anchorage and soared over the Pacific Ocean, landing in a southern part of Tokyo, Japan called Azabu-Juuban; where Zircon traced Pegasus's flight to.

Pegasus himself, intrigued by the beautiful dreams of a young girl by the name of Tsukino Chibiusa, took refuge inside of her. From the start, Chibiusa respected, idolized, and even loved him. He took comfort in her friendship, trying to forget the pain he had fled from, and yet, regretted his flight. He silently vowed to do everything he could to help the Sailor Senshi of Japan, who Chibiusa fought along side of as Sailor Chibimoon.

Meanwhile, the Dead Moon Circus ravaged the Juuban area in search of the Golden Crystal, always missing Chibiusa. Sailor Moon and Sailor Chibimoon, along with Sailor Mercury, Sailor Mars, Sailor Jupiter, and Sailor Venus tirelessly defended Tokyo. Each time, they mustered enough strength to push off the Dead Moon's ambitions to another day.

However, the attacks grew worse, drawing the attention of other Sailor Soldiers. Sensing the impending trouble, the baby Hotaru Tomoe, under the care of Ten'ou Haruka, Kaiou Michiru, and Meiou Setsuna, began to grow at an alarming rate, spouting prophecies of doom. Knowing that they couldn't ignore the distant trouble any more, they entered the battle alongside the inner senshi as Sailor Saturn, Sailor Uranus, Sailor Neptune, and Sailor Pluto.

Nehelenia continued to gain strength as she entered Elysion and devoured dreams, leaving people with only nightmares. Although distant from his realm, Helios felt Elysion's pain.

Like the Terran Soldiers, the Sailor Senshi of Japan and their ally Tuxedo Mask, Prince Endymion of the old Earth, soon realized that they could not continue to fight on the defensive. Darkness began to cover the city as Nehelenia's power increased. It was then that they took their chance, entering the Dead Moon Circus with the intention of destroying their enemies once and for all.

They fought valiantly all the way to the circus's center ring. There, Zirconia knocked out Sailor Chibmoon's golden dream mirror. This time, Helios had nowhere to run to. He was as stuck inside the circus as Sailor Chibimoon and her friends were. Zirconia kidnapped Chibiusa and presented her to Nehelenia, who, in turn, took her into Elysion to force Helios out and celebrate her victory.

In desperation, the remaining Sailor Senshi joined hands and teleported to Elysion after her. The ancient hidden kingdom of the Earth was to be their battlefield.

Completely unaware of the battle that raged between the other sailors and the Dead Moon Circus, the Terran Soldiers dreamed on. Amid their nightmares were glimpses of past happiness.

"_Is that all you have to report of the Hidden Realms, my lady?" Kunzite asked as he rose from the chair across from Charisse._

_Standing as well, she answered politely, "Yes, my lord Kunzite. Things remain largely unchanged."_

"_Then I will return to—" he said, gathering up his paper, pen, and ink well._

"_You know, it's such a beautiful day," Charisse interrupted him quickly, "Do you have a moment to wander the palace gardens with me? It is much more enjoyable to walk the paths with someone than it is alone."_

_Looking up, Kunzite smiled, "Of course. I do have a few spare minutes." _

_Nerine wheeled around in the arms of her dance partner, grinning. With a mask across her face, no one recognized her, including her partner, and that was just as well. When the waltz finished, her partner squeezed her hand. "My lady, I really must know your name," the young man urged, "I don't believe I have ever seen you before."_

_Giggling, she replied, "Nerina." Close, but it was a lie._

"_My name is Tomoyo," he introduced himself. "If you haven't already promised yourself to someone else, may I have the next dance as well, Nerina?"_

_She giggled again, "Of course!" As the next dance began, she was swept across the dance floor following Tomoyo's lead. As they neared the palace balcony, she caught a glimpse of the beautiful blue and green earth hovering peacefully among the stars. "Our view of the Moon is nothing to their view of the Earth here," she murmured wistfully._

"_What did you say?" he asked._

_Blushing, she replied, "The view of the Earth looks beautiful tonight."_

_Having spent the morning making flower garlands rather than studying, Damia entered the temple with one garland on her head as a crown and a second in her hands. Helios greeted her in the central courtyard bleary-eyed but with a smile. Damia suspected that he had just rolled out of bed. "It's always good to see you, my lady," he said warmly, then yawned._

_She giggled and replied, "And you, Priest."_

"_Why are you so festive today?" he asked, reaching tentatively out to touch the flower crown on her head._

"_Because it's the festival of midsummer today, remember?" she replied playfully, throwing the garland she held in her hands around his neck._

_His eyes grew wide. "The festival is today?" he exclaimed, "I completely forgot! To think that I have not even..."_

_Damia burst out laughing._

"_What is it?" he demanded crossly._

"_Helios," she said through unsuppressable giggles, "Today is Monday. The festival isn't until Wednesday."_

"_Damia," he groaned. "But what about...?" he asked, gingerly grasping the flower garland around his neck._

"_Today just seemed like a good day for garlands," she replied with a smile._

_Outside, at the Earth Palace, it was winter. The biting cold winds of the North Pole were something that all members of the court had to endure at this time of year. Even the oasis around the capital city felt the effects of the season. Malia hated it and dealt with the cold as well as the next person, but she had a sanctuary._

_Black stone beneath her feet, Malia stood on the bank and gazed down into the river of fire below, letting the heat wash over her. Between craggy black mountains, the blazing river twisted and wound away as far as the eye could see. Even when it bent behind a mountain beyond view, one could still trace its path by the orange glow it cast._

_She breathed deeply through her nose and took in the hot air._

"_My Lady, you shouldn't be so close to the edge of the river!" one of the temple attendants called distantly. It was true; no one but her dared to get so close, except perhaps the high priest and one of his most reckless acolytes._

_Malia ignored her. Taking her square-shafted iron staff in her hands, she planted it firmly onto the ground before her. The hot power of the river coursed through her veins. Along with it came the anger, envy, and all other passionate emotions of the Earth. The anger filled her then flowed out. It couldn't touch her at her core._

_She let the Phlegethon take her, hold her, and feed her its will. With eyes closed she felt greater than herself. Her heart was still Malia, but her being was Phlegethon._

"_My lord Zoisite," Tacita exclaimed as he strode into the library, "We weren't expecting you."_

"_I apologize for my sudden appearance," Zoisite said, bowing._

"_No, please don't," she urged, "Anyone seeking the knowledge of Cocytus is welcome at any time. What brings you here?"_

"_I wish to know," he said slowly, "About the history of the planet Mercury."_

"_Mercury? Why?" she found herself asking, then blushed, "I'm sorry, it's not my business asking."_

"_It's alright," he answered with a smile._

"_Well," she started, thinking over the layout of the vast library, "If you will follow me, I will take you to the section where you can find the information you seek."_

"_Thank you my lady," he replied, following her towards the broad staircase at the center of the library._

_A thick fog surrounded the Temple of Erebus, as it did on most days. As a strong gust of wind blew, Althea caught sight of a familiar figure in a vibrant green dress lingering near the edge of the cliff just outside of the temple._

"_Damia!" she called to her and rushed over, careful to watch her feet as they crossed the uneven ground._

"_Oh, Althea," she said dully in greeting. Her violet eyes were distant._

"_Are you alright?" Althea asked, grasping one of Damia's hands in both of hers. It was cold._

"_I don't know," she replied with a sigh, "I'm just so confused."_

"_Erebus is a land of questions, not answers," Althea reminded her darkly, "Did something happen?"_

_Damia didn't answer her. Staring out into the undulating fog, she said, "It's comforting, you know, to know that you're not the only one with questions that don't seem to have an answer."_

Suddenly, a bright light broke through their dreams. In the confusion between nightmare and reality, none could explain the tugging sensation they felt or the voice in their heads that commanded, "Come."

"Sailor Teleport!"

In a flash of light and energy, Sailor Moon and her fellow sailor senshi found themselves in Elysion, on the shores of one of its famed mirror pools. The beauty, however, was lost of Sailor Moon.

"Sailor Chibimoon!" she cried, seeing the young girl lying limply in front of Queen Nehelenia's feet. Another body lay close by: Helios.

Sailor Venus caught her arm and held her back. "Careful!" she urged.

Nehelenia laughed. "It's too late, Sailor Moon," she said triumphantly from the other edge of the pond. As she grasped the edges of the golden mirror that floated above Sailor Chibimoon, Pegasus soared out, whinnying frantically. Although he madly pumped his wings to get away, some force drew the spirit of the winged horse towards Helios' body. Pegasus melded with Helios, and color returned to his face. Weakly, he sat up, the golden horn on his head glowing.

Laughing again, she reached down and grasped his horn in both hands. "At last the Golden Crystal is mine!" she cried.

"It's... not for you..." Helios said weakly as golden light blazed out from his crystal horn, "to use..."

His plea was useless. Soon, the horn transformed into a prismatic crystal and neatly detached from his forehead. It glowed vibrantly in Queen Nehelenia's hands. Helios weakly let out one last cry and fainted onto the grass. "You see, pitiful princess of the White Moon," Nehelenia started proudly, "Nothing can stop me now. With this Golden Crystal, I will take my rightful place as queen of the Moon and this entire system."

"No you won't Nehelenia," Sailor Mars cried, "Serenity is the rightful queen!"

"Your Serenity is too weak to be the queen," Nehelenia accused.

"Why you...!" Sailor Jupiter roared.

"Then let this be a contest," Sailor Uranus suggested evenly, "to see who will be the queen of the Moon."

"Uranus..." Sailor Moon gasped.

"We have to fight, Sailor Moon," Neptune quietly reminded her. "Nehelenia is too delusional to be reasoned with."

"But..." she argued.

"Usako," Tuxedo Mask said reassuringly at her side, "We have to stop her and save Chibiusa."

Taking a deep breath, Sailor Moon nodded.

Queen Nehelenia chuckled. "You and your court," she said, sweeping her arms in a wide gesture around her, "Against me and mine. Come."

"She's calling—!" Sailor Mercury started, but her warning came too late.

Suddenly, the entire grassy field around them was filled with the same sort of vaguely human circus freaks that had been attacking them for the last several months.

"There's so many of them," Sailor Venus gasped.

"It's eleven to one," Mercury reported nervously as she clicked away at her mini super computer.

"_Yossha!_" Sailor Jupiter yelled and leaped into action, "Jupiter Oak Evolution!"

The others quickly followed suit.

"Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!"

"Submarine Reflection!"

"Mars Flame Sniper!"

"Chronos Cyclone!"

The battle raged on while the queen of the Dead Moon watched on, amused at the seemingly futile attempts the sailors were making against her horde of minions. However, she had made a fatal mistake in her summoning. From deep in the bowels of the circus she had called not only allies but old, imprisoned enemies. Amidst the hordes, forgotten and misplaced, stood six dumbfounded girls; six sailor soldiers.

Shocked, stiff, and nearly blinded by the sudden light, the Terran Soldiers found themselves in the middle of a raging battle. The warriors of the Dead Moon Circus ignored their little cluster, swarming around them.

"What's going on?" Sailor Aether asked.

"Where are we?" Sailor Cocytus added.

"Elysion," Sailor Elysion answered immediately. It wasn't like the Elysion she was familiar with. Trees and animals were frozen like statues and covered in cobwebs. The sky above was dim and hazy while the ground was covered with dark craters like pockmarks. The sickness of her realm shook her right to the core.

"But how did we—?" Sailor Erebus asked.

"That doesn't matter," Sailor Hemera said quickly and pointed to the other side of the pond, over the swelling crowd, "Look!"

Past flashes of energy, they all caught sight of a group of girls and a man in a tuxedo and top hat fighting off the Dead Moon horde. Through the fighting, they could see the girls all wore sailor collars like their own.

"More sailor soldiers!" Sailor Elysion exclaimed.

"Let's help them!" Sailor Phlegethon urged.

"Right on!" Sailor Erebus exclaimed and jumped into the fray, "Darkness Lifting Contradiction!" Several of the circus creatures screamed and scattered away, but they were now aware of these new enemies. A circle formed around them, blocking any attempt of escape.

"Sky Shower Shatter!"

"Beautiful Love Conviction!"

"Moonlight Flash!"

"Volcanic Ground Split!"

Shrieking, the villains drew back, but only a few shattered. More circus creatures filled their places.

"Uh-oh," Sailor Aether murmured as the circle closed in again.

Sailor Elysion stood calmly amidst them with her eyes closed.

"Sailor Elysion," Erebus prodded her with an elbow, "What's wrong."

_Elysion, I feel the agony that you're in. I share it with you. Lend me your strength to drive these terrible monsters off of your sacred soil._ Her eyes snapped open and she cried, "Elysion Crisis Melody!" Green energy raged out of her, accompanied by a sweet melody. Nearly the entire circle of monsters around them shattered, screaming.

"Sailor Elysion! How did you do that?" Aether gasped, "Without Pegasus?"

"I drew power from my realm," she answered simply, still aching with the pain of Elysion.

"Sorry guys, but we don't have time to chat now," Erebus interrupted them, and lunged forward to break the new circle of circus creatures that formed around them, "Darkness Lifting Contradiction!"

Sailor Phlegethon and Sailor Hemera dove in after her.

"Volcanic Ground Split!"

"Beautiful Love Conviction!"

Sailor Aether took a deep breath and planted her feet firmly on the ground. "Aether Terran Power!" she cried, throwing her hand into the air. She began to glow a sky blue color. "Aether Echo Reverberation!" she whispered. The blue tinged shock wave that radiated out shattered a corridor through the advancing circus creatures.

"You too?" Sailor Erebus gasped.

"Just call on your realms!" Sailor Aether explained running after her.

In this way, they fought their way across the battlefield, but at every push forward, there were always more enemies trying to surround them. Meanwhile, not far off but still unreachable, another battle front raged on.

Trapped again, the sailors stood back to back, measuring up their new enemies. They swarmed around, unsure how to attack the sailors without instruction from their queen. Now and then, one would spout flames, darkness, or juggling balls in their direction. When struck, the sailors screamed and stumbled, but they had all been through far worse pain already. It was not enough to stop them.

"Phlegethon Terran Power!" she thrust her staff into the air, "Phlegethon Fire Storm!" Another shattered corridor appeared amid the mass of enemies. She laughed, "It's good to be out in the air again."

They rushed by the circus creatures that threatened to close in around them once again. Sailor Hemera, taking up the rear, barely made it through before they were again encircled.

"We're hardly making any progress at all!" Sailor Aether complained.

"Just keep doing what we're doing!" Sailor Hemera ordered.

Although the six had never fought together in this lifetime, their old patterns fell easily into place.

"Hemera Terran Power!" she began to glow a gentle salmon pink color, "Sweet Seduction!"

"Cocytus Terran Power!" her younger sister cried after her, "Cocytus Wind Inflection!"

Between the two of them, they destroyed the first row of enemies that surrounded them, but more closed in eagerly, spouting dark energy.

Yelping and leaping out of the way, Sailor Elysion called out as she went, "Elysion Crisis Melody!"

Their attackers fell back for a moment, but more quickly returned.

"Those other sailors are still so far away!" Sailor Cocytus exclaimed.

"Space Sword Blaster!"

"Deep Submerge!"

Suddenly, a wide corridor opened out of their circle. Two sailor soldiers sprinted up it, one with short blond hair in blue and yellow, the other in teal and blue, with waving teal hair to match. Skidding to a halt in their midst as the circle closed in again, the tall blond sailor demanded, "_Anta-tachi wa dare da?_"

"Wait, what?" Sailor Erebus stammered.

"Who are you?" Sailor Hemera asked quickly.

The circle of enemies drew closer again. Seeing this, Sailor Cocytus lashed out, "Cocytus Terran Power, Wind Inflection!"

Blinking curiously, the blond sailor asked in a heavily accented voice, "You speak English."

Sailor Elysion nodded, "We're American. We're the Terran Soldiers."

Tearing her eyes off of their aggressors for a moment, Sailor Cocytus looked at the two new arrivals. "Oh my gosh!" she gasped, "You're Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune!"

"How do you know them?" Sailor Hemera asked, astonished, throwing out another attack at the enemies, "Hemera Pining Affections!"

"I read their comics, remember?" Sailor Cocytus answered quickly.

"Who are you?" Sailor Neptune, the woman in teal, asked, as heavily accented as her companion.

"Sailor Hemera."

"Sailor Phlegethon."

"Sailor Aether."

"Sailor Cocytus."

"Sailor Erebus."

"And Sailor Elysion," she finished by striking a quick pose.

"Elysion?" Sailor Neptune murmured quietly.

"Hurry," Sailor Uranus urged, "Come with us." She brandished her sword in front of her and cried out again, "Space Sword Blaster!"

"Submarine Reflection!" Sailor Neptune said, thrusting her hand mirror out in front of her.

Another corridor opened up. Racing down it, the group of eight sailors attacked as they went.

"Elysion Crisis Melody!"

"World Shaking!"

"Darkness Lifting Contradiction!"

"Hemera Pining Affections!"

"Phlegethon Fire Storm!"

Finally, they broke through the horde and into a clearing at the edge of the crystal wood where the other sailors fought.

"Neptune! Uranus!" Sailor Moon called, then dropped her jaw in surprise when she saw the six girls following them.

"_Sou desu ka. Ano hito-tachi asoko ni takateimashita, ne_," Sailor Pluto concluded pensively, connecting them with the battle she had seen raging in the distance, "_Dare na no ka naa._"

"_Terran senshi da tte_," Sailor Uranus answered quickly then pointed at Sailor Elysion. "_Ano midori to murasaki fuku ni kiteiru seeraa senshi wa Sailor Elysion da to itta._"

"_Ee? Kono tokoro mo seeraa senshi ga aru?_" Sailor Moon exclaimed, surprised that Elysion also had a sailor representing it.

The whole conversation was completely lost to the six Americans.

"_Mercury, eigo de...?_" Sailor Neptune started, eying the six girls she and Uranus had just brought through.

"Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!" she attacked, making her way over to the group of newcomers. Meanwhile, Uranus and Neptune jumped back into the fray. Mercury approached Sailor Elysion, presuming her to be the leader, and extended her hand, "My name is Sailor Mercury." Her accent was thick as well, but her English was clear and easy.

"I'm Sailor Elysion," she returned.

"We've been trapped in the Dead Moon Circus for a long time," Sailor Hemera jumped in, "Maybe you could tell us what's going on."

"Trapped?" Sailor Mercury echoed, "We fought the Dead Moon Circus in Japan. They were looking for the Golden Crystal. That's Queen Nehelenia, their leader."

"We know that much already," Sailor Erebus said quickly, "We fought them in the US when they were looking for the same thing."

Nodding in surprise, Sailor Mercury continued, "Pegasus hid the Golden Crystal inside our friend, Sailor Chibimoon."

"Pegasus," Sailor Elysion drew in a sharp breath.

"When we went into the circus, they captured her and Nehelenia took her here," Sailor Mercury explained, "We followed, but she took the Golden Crystal from Helios and now she is using it against us."

"Is Helios okay?" Sailor Elysion demanded suddenly.

Mercury shook her head, "I don't know."

"We have to help him—them!" Sailor Elysion exclaimed. "Come on guys. What are we standing around for?" Rushing to the front of the line next to Sailor Uranus, she attacked passionately, "Elysion Crisis Melody!"

The gap between the now fifteen sailor soldiers and the evil horde widened, filled with alternating flashes of dark power and bright energy.

"Venus Love and Beauty Shock!"

"Cocytus Wind Inflection!"

"Death Ribbon Revolution!"

"Jupiter Oak Evolution!"

Sailor Cocytus had trouble focusing on the battle before her. It was one thing to fight evil just like some of your favorite comic book heroes. It was entirely another to stand by their sides and fight with them. She could hardly believe that she now stood less than ten feet away from Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen.

"Phlegethon Fire Storm!"

"Moon Gorgeous Meditation!"

"Aether Echo Reverberation!"

"_Yoku dekita minna!_" Sailor Mercury panted encouragingly as she ran another set of calculations between attacks, "Well done everyone! The odds are only three to one now."

"_Demo sore dake de rerakusu shinaide yo!_" Sailor Uranus urged the others not to let their guard down even still.

From the other side of the thinning battlefield, Queen Nehelenia clenched her fist around the Golden Crystal in anger. "How dare they!" she growled, then screamed to her servants, "Crush them!" As she shrieked, the golden power of the crystal in her hand lashed out and leaped over the battlefield, striking an immense crater in the sailors' midst.

Caught in the blast, Sailor Venus, Sailor Mercury, Sailor Pluto, and Sailor Phlegethon screamed.

"Venus! Mercury!" Sailor Moon shrieked.

"Sailor Pluto!" Sailor Saturn yelled in dismay.

"Malia!" Sailor Hemera screamed, and rushed over to her, just as another golden blast rained down on them. This time, only she was caught in it. She screamed and crumpled over under its power.

Queen Nehelenia cackled wickedly.

"Oh no!" Sailor Aether gasped when it faded, "Are you okay?"

"_Minna! Daijoubu desu ka?_" Sailor Moon yelled.

"_Mou, okoraseta yo!_" Sailor Jupiter roared threateningly at the evil queen. "_Nehelenia, shine! _Jupiter Coconut Cyclone!"

"_Jupiter to issho yo!_" Mars added, "Mars Fire Snakes!"

Sailor Cocytus drew in a deep breath and yelled, "You leave my sisters alone! Cocytus Wind Inflection!"

Between their three attacks, the entire block of monsters before them shattered and disappeared. This left only the cluster that still hung close to Nehelenia.

"Why you!" she shrieked, "It's time for you to face my nightmare!"

Suddenly, the sky began to darken, a thick darkness falling over Elysion.

A desperate sense of foreboding fell over Sailor Elysion as her realm cried out once again. Her head began to spin. Looking around her, the rest of the sailors seemed dizzy or tired and staggered around unsteadily. Some held onto their heads while others tripped and fell to the ground. Her eyelids felt heavy and the ground felt under her feet. She couldn't stand up any more. Sinking to the ground, she felt as if she were drowning in darkness. _I have to... I have to..._

_Sailor Elysion was alone in Elysion. Her beloved realm was in ruins. Not far off, in the center of the nearby lake, a pile of white rubble was all that remained of the pavilion that had once held so many memories. Standing on the edge of that lake was Queen Nehelenia and Helios. She wanted to run to them and protect her love, but her limbs were frozen. She wanted to cry out, but her voice was stuck in her throat._

_With a wicked grin in her direction, Nehelenia leaned over and kissed Helios. Sailor Elysion burned inside with hot rage. Suddenly, Nehelenia broke away and seized Helios by the neck, lifting him off the ground. He sputtered and struggled but it was in vain. Soon enough he grew completely limp. Nehelenia threw him aside like old trash._

_Hot tears burned down Sailor Elysion's face. She couldn't save him._

_Suddenly Sailor Mars stood on the Hikawa Shrine grounds. Instead of Elysion, her own home was the battlefield. The sacred trees around the temple burned and the shrine's bell hung lopsided off of it's hooks, tolling ominously._

_Alone, Sailor Mars stood against Nehelenia and all of her evil horde. In a moment, she saw that it wasn't Chibimoon and Helios that lay lifelessly at the evil Queen's feet, but her grandfather and Yuuichirou._

"_No!" she screamed and rushed into the mob of circus demons. They clawed at her as she passed, but she ignored the pain. Attacking, flames leaped from the palms of her hands. Somehow, she missed. She tried again, sobbing, and missed again. Her own attacks added to the flames, and the wooden and paper structure of the temple burst alight. If she attacked again, she would destroy her home, or worse. Sailor Mars felt utterly hopeless. Nehelenia laughed wickedly and the horde of monsters bore down on her._

_Her whole world was burning._

_Sailor Hemera alone stood between Queen Nehelenia and the rest of the sailors. She knew it was up to her. The evil queen raised the golden crystal and let out a blast of brilliant energy. It came too fast. She didn't have time to muster a counter attack. Sailor Hemera braced herself to take the impact. Better her than—_

"_Sailor Hemera! No!"_

_Suddenly, Sailor Phlegethon and Sailor Cocytus rushed in front of her. Instead of her, her younger sisters took the blow. In an instant they disintegrated, leaving behind only shoes._

"_No!" she sobbed, collapsing to her knees._

_As the enemies closed in around Sailor Moon, Sailor Pluto prepared to attack. Everyone else was too preoccupied with their own attackers. Only she had any chance of saving Usagi. "Dead—" _

"_Sailor Pluto," a distant voice summoned her. Glorious as starlight and gentle as thunder, there was no mistaking that voice._

_Chronos._

"_No, wait," she protested frantically. The monsters drew closer and her princess still didn't notice them. "Not now! I have to—" _

_There was no stopping the will of a God._

"_Sailor Moon!" she yelled, but she was pulled sharply backwards through time and space. The battlefield contorted and stretched out before her eyes, and with almost an audible pop, she broke through it all into an all-too-familiar misty corridor._

"_I have reconsidered your punishment for breaking the final taboo," Chronos's voice boomed. Though she could not see him—she never did—the white time gate looming up ahead of her was enough. "You will resume your former post and continue to guard the time gate into eternity."_

"_Alone," she whispered, hanging her head. Tears came freely from the corners of her eyes. "Sailor Moon, I'm sorry."_

_Sailor Uranus watched in horror as a sudden horde of Dead Moon monsters appeared and swelled between her and Sailor Neptune. They surrounded Neptune and swallowed her up completely. Sailor Uranus could hear her screams, but no matter how much she attacked, kicked, and slashed, she couldn't get to her._

_Under Queen Nehelenia's glare and the flashing of the Golden Crystal Sailor Moon watched her friends melt away, screaming in pain. She tried to help them, but there was nothing she could do. She heard Mamoru's voice whispering to her, but by the time she turned around, all that remained of him was a top hat and a rose. "Mamo-chan!" she shrieked._

"_Usako!" his voice came again._

"Usako!" she felt a slap across her face. Blinking away tears, her entire world changed. She was in Elysion, but there was no longer darkness. Her friends were still there, asleep on the ground.

"Tuxedo Kamen," she whispered in amazement, "You escaped her nightmares?"

"I knew it couldn't be true," he replied, "She can't destroy you, Sailor Moon. Now help me." He moved from fallen sailor to sailor, shaking or slapping each awake. Sailor Moon moved down the line in the other direction. Each girl reacted to the rough awakening differently. Sailor Uranus screamed with tears of relief, while Sailor Mercury still quivered with shock. Sailor Elysion seemed more angrily resolved than ever before.

Nehelenia, who had been gazing satisfactorily over the lake at the forest beyond suddenly realized what had happened. She whirled her attention back towards her adversaries. "How could you break free of my nightmares?" she demanded.

"_Watashi-tachi anata ga omoiteiru hodo tsuyoi da yo!_" Sailor Mars shouted, boasting of their collective strength.

Not satisfied with a threat in a language she didn't understand, Sailor Erebus added, "You couldn't beat us that easily, Nehelenia!" She strode across the open ground between the sailors and what remained of the Dead Moon horde. Sailor Aether and Sailor Cocytus trailed after her.

"Kill them!" Queen Nehelenia shrieked, pointing one long, pale finger towards Sailor Erebus' trio. The Dead Moon monsters surged towards them.

"Look out!" Sailor Elysion yelled, but she wasn't fast enough.

Sailor Mars and Sailor Uranus were.

"Mars Flame Sniper!"

"World Shaking!"

Caught off guard, the front-most circus creatures shattered into mirror shards while the rest fell back for a moment, giving the sailors the time they needed to regroup. Those that could, rushed forward to join the front line. Sailor Mercury, Sailor Jupiter, and Sailor Hemera lagged behind, still affected by the nightmares that had just consumed them. They struggled between bad dream and reality.

The battle was on again.

"Venus Love and Beauty Shock!"

"Dead Scream!"

"Darkness Lifting Contradiction!"

"Moon Gorgeous Meditation!"

"Aether Echo Reverberation!"

In the fray, Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune caught each other's eyes and nodded meaningfully. They jumped into the head of the battle, talismans blazing.

"Space Sword Blaster!"

"Submarine Reflection!"

Attacking again and again, they leaped and dodged through the minions of the Dead Moon until nothing stood between them and Queen Nehelenia.

"How did you...?" she stammered, startled by their sudden appearance.

Uranus didn't answer. A smirk crossed her lips and she attacked instead, "Space Sword Blaster!"

The attack knocked the evil queen off her feet, screaming indignantly. As she struggled back up, Sailor Neptune stepped forward, "Submarine Reflection!" She screamed again, losing her balance and tumbling backwards. From where she sat on the ground, Nehelenia glared at the two sailors who stood smugly before her. "Die!" she growled. The Golden Crystal, still securely in her hand, lashed out at them. Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune hardly had time to scream before they collapsed unconscious to the ground.

Hearing their screams from the other end of the battlefield, Sailor Moon cried out, "Uranus! Neptune!"

"They may have fallen, but we're still with you," Sailor Pluto said reassuringly from beside her. "Chronos Cyclone!"

On her other side, the youngest senshi, Sailor Saturn, rushed out swinging her glaive. In one swift swipe, two Dead Moon minions fell.

Queen Nehelenia struggled to her feet again, tangled in her gown. Fuming, she glared down at the limp forms before her. The two sailors now joined Helios and Sailor Chibimoon. She focused her attention back at the front of the fighting. The remaining sailor soldiers continued to make steady progress towards her. "Amazoness Quartet!" she ordered, "Destroy them."

"We're on it!"

Out of the mass of Dead Moon villains, came four little girls with outlandish costumes and hairdos; one in pink, one in green, one in blue, and one in red. They each wielded a crystal sphere. Sailor Erebus was the only one to notice the eerie similarity to the four crystal spheres that the Amazon Quartet boys had once held.

Though small, the four girls wielded more power than any of Nehelenia's other minions had. From their spheres radiated vast energy, and chaos fell among the sailor soldiers.

"They're fast!" Sailor Erebus cursed as another one of the girls danced out of the way of her attacks.

"Hemera Pining Affections!"

"Mars Flame Sniper!"

As the one in blue, PallaPalla flipped out of the way of Mars' flaming arrow, she fell right into Hemera's soft pink light. Wailing, she fell to the ground and shrieked, "_PallaPalla itai no yo!_"

"PallaPalla!" the green haired girl, JunJun yelled, whipping around.

Suddenly, Sailor Hemera found herself surrounded between the crying PallaPalla, JunJun, and the red-haired girl, VesVes. She moved sluggishly, unable to get away from them.

"_Onore!_" JunJun yelled, and together with VesVes and PallaPalla, she took revenge. Dark energy leaped out of their spheres towards Sailor Hemera. It was too much for her to take. Screaming, she fainted, falling to their feet.

"Charisse!" Sailor Phlegethon screamed.

"Sailor Hemera!" Sailor Cocytus yelled as soon as she saw her go down.

JunJun laughed, pleased, "_Yoku dekita na?"_

"Don't worry!" Sailor Erebus yelled as she leaped into action, "Erebus Terran Power, Mystic Revival!"

Silvery light radiated around Sailor Hemera, giving her strength. Slowly, she rose to her feet again. She looked stunned.

Meanwhile, the anger that raged in the battle overtook Sailor Phlegethon. It raced through her, pouring out in her attacks. She had never felt so alive before.

Through a gap in the battle, Sailor Saturn caught a glimpse of where Sailor Chibimoon lay with her dream mirror still floating above her. She gripped her glaive more tightly and leaped into the fray. Hacking and slashing, Sailor Saturn found another sailor soldier at her back that was as deep into the Dead Moon horde as she was: Sailor Phlegethon.

Their eyes met for a moment and they smiled grimly at one another. They didn't need to speak each other's language to understand each others intentions. Sailor Saturn tilted her head in Nehelenia's direction. Sailor Phlegethon nodded. They threw themselves back into the battle.

"Phlegethon Fire Storm!"

"Death Ribbon Revolution!"

By the dark ribbons flowing from Saturn's glaive and the tongues of flame that rained down from Phlegethon's staff, the two young sailors quickly made their way towards Nehelenia. Soon they found themselves staring her down over the open grassy ground. Sailor Saturn lunged for Sailor Chibimoon's dream mirror, but Queen Nehelenia lashed out with the Golden Crystal.

Sailor Phlegethon yelled in anticipation, but Sailor Saturn braced herself and thrust the Silence Glaive into the air, "Silence Wall!"

A dark force field bubbled up over Sailor Saturn and Phlegethon, stopping the power of the Golden Crystal. Queen Nehelenia didn't let up, however. She poured even more power into the attack. Sailor Saturn, meanwhile struggled to maintain the barrier. Sweat trickled down her face. Involuntary grunts of exertion escaped her lips.

Sailor Phlegethon wished that she could help in some way. It seemed inevitable that the barrier would come down soon. She positioned herself at the ready, preparing to fight. It was a useless gesture.

With a cry, Sailor Saturn lost control and the barrier dissolved. Golden energy enveloped Sailor Phlegethon and Sailor Saturn. They shrieked, suspended momentarily in the light. Finally, the power of the Golden Crystal subsided and the fell to the ground beside the bodies of Uranus and Neptune.

"_Chibiusa-chan..._" Sailor Saturn whispered weakly before she blacked out, "_Gomen nasai._"

At the battle front, the others were too occupied with the Amazoness Quartet and the continuing onslaught of circus creatures to see them fall.

"We need more power to finish this," Sailor Erebus cried out.

"Let's attack together," Sailor Elysion yelled, delivering a high kick to a creature that ventured too close.

She caught Cocytus, Aether, and Hemera's eyes to make sure they heard. There wasn't time to wonder at where Sailor Phlegethon had gone.

"Sailor Realm Attack!" they yelled in unison as they threw their arms forward in a graceful synchronized arc.

Inspired by their action, the Sol Senshi called out together, "Sailor Planet Attack!"

Prismatic energy in blues, greens, pinks, reds, yellows, and purples glowed around the sailor soldiers then leaped out at the dwindling crowd of monsters before them. The power merged together and flashed bright white. Crazed laugh like screams filled the air. When the light faded, only the Amazoness Quartet and Queen Nehelenia remained.

"Dead Moon Power!" the quartet of girls called together, expelling energy from the spheres in their hands.

"No!" Sailor Hemera yelped when she realized that their aim was straight towards her younger sister Sailor Cocytus, who stood next to Sailor Moon.

"Sailor Moon!" Sailor Mercury cried, "_Abunai wa!_"

The two sailors nearly collided mid-leap, both taking the brunt of the attack. Screaming, they collapsed at Sailor Moon's feet.

"Mercury!" Sailor Moon shrieked.

"Hemera!" Sailor Cocytus joined her dismayed cry.

"_Yurusenai..._" Sailor Moon cried softly as she looked down at Sailor Mercury and Hemera. "_Yurusenai!_" She yelled, glaring at the Amazoness Quartet. She raised her kaleidoscope wand and yelled, "Moon Gorgeous Meditation!" The blazing kaleidoscopic power caught all four of the girls and wrapped them in light. They shrieked and collapsed to the ground, still glowing with her power.

"_Nehelenia, yamete kudasai_," Sailor Moon gently urged her to stop, "_Muimi desu ne. Anata wa hitori ja nai._ _Watashi-tachi to issho ni chikyuu ni modotte, kono Elysion kirei ni narasete kudasai. Watashi-tachi wa anata no tomodachi nareru yo._" She begged Nehelenia to give up the pointless fight and return to Earth with them, promising to be her friend.

"Friends?" Queen Nehelenia scoffed angrily. Her words were understandable by Americans and Japanese alike. "Why would you? You are all jealous of my beauty and power. I alone should be the queen of the Moon. There, everyone can revel in my beauty."

"_Demo, sore wa sabishii no?_" Sailor Moon persisted. Nehelenia seemed determined to be lonely, and she couldn't understand it.

"As long as I am the beautiful queen, nothing else matters," Nehelenia retorted, "I don't need anyone or anything else. Just this power," she said as she raised the glowing Golden Crystal above her head. Suddenly, its power lashed out again, leaping across the empty battlefield towards the sailors, threatening to engulf them all.

"Princess!" Sailor Pluto yelled, racing over to her.

"Usagi!" Sailor Mars warned, leaping in front of her.

"Sailor Moon!" Jupiter and Venus shrieked as the jumped into join Sailor Mars. Sailor Jupiter gave her a firm push and she tumbled backwards into the protective embrace of Tuxedo Kamen. He quickly wrapped his cape around her and they kneeled together, bracing themselves.

Sailor Hemera was still feeling the effects of Nehelenia's nightmares and couldn't move quickly enough to get out of the way. Sailor Cocytus lunged forward and tugged at her hand, "Charisse! Hurry!" she urged.

Sailor Elysion watched the light come, horrified. She realized for the first time that this was the same golden light that always came to their rescue when they called on Helios. Now it had turned against them.

"Damia!" Sailor Erebus screamed as she dove towards her, "Get down!" She shoved Sailor Elysion out of the way but was not fast enough herself. As Elysion tumbled down next to Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen, the power of the Golden Crystal struck. It's terrifying blaze swallowed up Sailor Pluto, Sailor Mars, Sailor Venus, Sailor Jupiter, Sailor Hemera, Sailor Cocytus, and Sailor Erebus. Their screams lasted longer than Sailor Elysion and Sailor Moon could bear. Finally the power released them and all seven fainted limply onto the grass.

"No!" Sailor Elysion cried in dismay. She bolted back to her feet and glared at Queen Nehelenia across the small pond. The evil queen laughed triumphantly.

Crying, Sailor Moon stood as well, with the support of Tuxedo Kamen.

"You three are no match for my power," Nehelenia cackled.

Meanwhile, still enveloped in Sailor Moon's power, the Amazoness Quartet hung in a state of uncertainty.

_The Amazoness Quartet found themselves floating weightlessly midair, naked. Not that it mattered. They were surrounded by a light mist and crystal like stars twinkled just beyond their reach._

"_CereCere are you okay?" VesVes asked._

"_CereCere..." the pink-haired girl rolled the name over in her mouth, "That doesn't seem right."_

"_Where are we? PallaPalla asked._

"_This isn't Elysion any more," JunJun replied thoughtfully, "I don't think."_

_A small figure appeared out of the mist. Although she looked much older, she was hardly any taller than CereCere. She wore a uniform similar to the sailors they had just been fighting, but hers was navy blue, periwinkle, and fuchsia with rounded puffed sleeves. Her dark blond hair played lightly in the breeze and her blue eyes danced. "I'm sorry, my soldiers," she apologized sweetly, "You weren't meant to go through this."_

"_What do you mean?" JunJun asked._

"_Who are you?" PallaPalla demanded._

"_Sleeping deep in the Amazon, you four were to awaken in the 31__st__ century as the guardians of Sailor Chibimoon?" the mysterious sailor soldier explained._

"_Sailor Chibimoon?" VesVes clarified, "You mean the one we've been fighting all this time?"_

_The sailor nodded, "Queen Nehelenia, drawn to your power, somehow found you and awakened you before your time. She twisted you four to suit her evil purposes. Your companion ApolApol resisted and was destroyed," she said sadly, "You will have to fight on bravely without her."_

"_What does this all mean for us now?" CereCere asked thoughtfully, "Are we dead?"_

"_No," the sailor answered, "You must now take up your role prematurely. Sailor Chibimoon needs you even now. You are the Asteroid Senshi. Awaken!" Suddenly, the four of them felt a rush of power flowing through their bodies._

"_Thank you," CereCere said softly as understanding began to dawn on her. The foggy starscape started to fade away._

"_But who are you?" PallaPalla persisted._

_Mist obscured the mysterious sailor, but her sweet voice rang through, "I am the starseed gardener, Sailor Mahou-Henshin.."_

"Come on, we have to do something," Sailor Elysion urged, hoping that Sailor Moon or Tuxedo Kamen would understand.

"_Dou shiyou Mamo-chan_?" Sailor Moon asked Tuxedo Kamen, unsure of what to do next.

"_Sailor Elysion to issho ni tatakaou yo,_" he urged her then turned Sailor Elysion and said in heavily accented English, "We will fight with you, Sailor Elysion, for Elysion."

"And for all of the Earth," she added with a smile.

Suddenly, a bright light blazed up in the middle of the battlefield.

"Ceres Star Power!"

"Vesta Star Power!"

"Juno Star Power!"

"Pallas Star Power!"

"Makeup!" four young voices chorused together.

The light faded and in the place of the Amazoness Quartet, four new sailor senshi stood ready to fight.

"What?" Queen Nehelenia shrieked, "You weren't supposed to—"

Sailor Ceres stepped defiantly forward and pointed at her former master. "_Anata wa uso wo tsuita, watashi-tachi ni_," she accused, angry at Nehelenia's deception and all the people she had hurt already, "_Mou, kono hidoi tatakai wo yamete!_"

"_Sailor Chibimoon wo kure!_" Sailor Juno demanded she hand over their charge.

"You insolent brats!" Queen Nehelenia cried angrily. She raised the crystal again but they were as quick as ever.

"Amazon Jungle Arrow!" they yelled together and an arrow of their combined energy rushed at Nehelenia. She dove out of its way, but gave them the opening they needed. Leaping, quick as the acrobats they had once been, they crossed the battlefield towards her. Sailor Pallas gently pushed Sailor Chibimoon's dream mirror back in. Even before color could fully return to her face, Sailor Vesta scooped her up in her arms and dashed back towards Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Mask, and Sailor Elysion. Meanwhile, the other three surrounded the woman they used to revere and prepared to attack.

Sailor Juno was the first to move, "Juno Riotous Cry!"

"Ceres Beauty Bloom!"

The attacks struck Queen Nehelenia as she tried to regain her footing. She stumbled backwards and yelled angrily but seemed otherwise unharmed. The three Asteroid Senshi drew back nervously.

"Now, the rebellion ends," she growled. "Die!" Once again, golden power flowered out from her clenched fist. Sailor Ceres, Sailor Pallas, and Sailor Juno hardly had time to brace themselves before the power struck. Soon, they too lay collapsed at her feet.

Stepping over them, Nehelenia glided over the grass towards where her only remaining adversaries stood.

Tuxedo Mask released Sailor Moon and took Sailor Chibimoon in his arms. Slowly she came to. "Mamo-chan," she murmured.

"Chibiusa," he replied warmly, "_yokatta."_

"First I will take care of this traitor," Nehelenia threatened as she approached, "Then you're next, Sailor Moon.

"_Koi, obaba_," Sailor Vesta taunted.

"_Obaba? _Hag?" Queen Nehelenia shrieked. "Why you little...!"

"Vesta Flames—!" she started but, in Nehelenia's anger, the power of the Golden Crystal lashed out on its own.

Screaming, Sailor Vesta collapsed and joined the line of fallen Sailors around her.

Queen Nehelenia fixed her yellow eyes on Sailor Moon and laughed eagerly, "Now for the end of the little princess of the White Moon."


	20. Chapter 20

**From Nightmares into Dreams**

_Chapter 20_

Slow and dignified, Queen Nehelenia paced across the grass towards Sailor Moon, Sailor Chibimoon, Sailor Elysion, and Tuxedo Mask. The Golden Crystal still glowed in her right fist and her yellow eyes reflected a similarly eager glint. Chuckling to herself, she said, "So this is what it comes down to. Sailor Elysion, Sailor Moon, you two have been thorns in my side since I awakened in this lifetime. Your precious kingdoms scorned me in your past lifetimes. Now, you're mine, and it's time to pay."

"_Iiya, chikyuu ni totte tsumi ni taishite tsugunai wa shite morau hito anata desu yo!_" Tuxedo Kamen threatened as he let Chibiusa gently down to her feet.

Sailor Elysion added, "You don't honestly think you can get away with this?"

Nehelenia laughed merrily, "I see three little girls and a man with a rose. You can't stand up against the power of the Golden Crystal."

"Just watch us!" Sailor Elysion shot back.

"_Anata wa katenai yo, Nehelenia!_" Sailor Moon shouted, clutching her Kaleido Moon Scope tightly.

"Hm?" she chuckled and a wicked smile crossed her face. Suddenly, energy lashed out from the Golden Crystal.

"Sailor Moon! Look out!" Sailor Elysion yelled and dove out of the way.

Tuxedo Mask heeded her warning. He quickly scooped up Sailor Moon and leaped up and away from the blast. Chibiusa ducked and rolled out of the way.

"Ha!" Nehelenia screamed, "Take this! And that!" Random blasts of golden energy shot out in all directions. They couldn't predict her actions. One rogue bolt hit Sailor Elysion and sent her crashing to the ground. Moments later, another struck Tuxedo Mask in the back. Clinging to Sailor Moon for support, he sunk to his knees.

"Tuxedo Kamen-sama!" Sailor Chibimoon shrieked weakly.

"Mamo-chan!" Sailor Moon lamented.

Sailor Elysion, meanwhile tried and failed to stand. She was too badly battered, too weak. Managing only to prop herself up on her elbows, she blinked away tears of pain. _Be strong, Damia. You have to be strong. It's up to you now._

The dark queen laughed uproariously. Holding her right hand high above, letting the Golden Crystal rest in her open palm. It caught the rays of sunlight and shone even more brilliantly. "All the power of the Earth is mine!" she proclaimed, "Soon I will be queen of both the Earth and Moon."

Sailor Elysion's strength failed her and she collapsed the few inches back onto the ground. Her face lying on the dewy grass, she whispered weakly, "Helios... anybody, help. Please help. Someone..."

"_I'm here,"_ a familiar voice spoke in her head.

A crack of thunder and flash of lightning broke through Nehelenia's peals of laughter. A shadowy form swept across the battlefield. Through leaping static, Sailor Elysion could have sworn she saw the figure of a panther leaping along side a tall woman in a deep blue gown. It jumped past Nehelenia, making her shriek in surprise then leaped towards where Sailor Elysion lay.

She felt a sudden weight, a sudden warmth in her outstretched hand that lay limply on the grass in front of her. Little by little, her strength returned. She struggled to look up. Wreathed in lightning, a ghostly Indira stared gently down at her. _"It's yours," _her voice spoke in Damia's head. As quickly as she had appeared, Indira faded away.

"Indira! Wait!" Sailor Elysion cried out tearfully, leaping to her feet. She looked down at her right hand and saw the Golden Crystal now glowing peacefully in her palm. "Indira..." she whispered in awe, "Thanks."

"The Golden Crystal!" Queen Nehelenia shrieked as it dawned on her what had just happened. She glared wide-eyed down at her now empty fist. Her eyes darted to Sailor Elysion, who now cautiously held it in her own hands. "You!" she yelled. Throwing her hands in a wide circle, she cast a blast of dark energy in Sailor Elysion's direction.

Caught off guard, Sailor Elysion yelled and fell down, but the strength of the Golden Crystal continued to support her. She rose stubbornly again and said, "It's over, Queen Nehelenia!"

"Not yet!" Nehelenia shrieked and blasted her with more dark energy.

"Sailor Elysion!" Sailor Moon cried.

Sailor Elysion braced herself and shut her eyes, but the impact never came. Opening her eyes in confusion, she saw Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Mask, and Sailor Chibimoon standing bravely in front of her. Tuxedo Mask's cape had warded off her attack.

"You!" Queen Nehelenia roared. Suddenly, she began to glow a menacing purple color and her hair blew wildly in a non-existent wind. The air grew cool and the sky darkened.

"Uh-oh," Sailor Chibimoon murmured nervously.

Out of nowhere, dark lightning laced down from the sky and struck in their midst. They all screamed, falling in different directions.

Nehelenia laughed, holding her hands out above her like a crazed scarecrow, "You see! You weaklings of the White Moon are nothing compared to me, even after I lost the Golden Crystal. Bow to me, the beautiful queen of the New Moon."

"Never!" Sailor Elysion yelled and weakly stood. Around her, Sailor Moon, Sailor Chibimoon, and Tuxedo Kamen did the same.

"_Aishiteiru chikyuu wo mamoru no wo zettai ni akiramenai_," Sailor Moon promised never to give up on the world they loved, no matter what Nehelenia would do to them, "_Donna ni tsurai koto ga attemo, makenai._"

"Fools," Nehelenia scoffed, "Prepare to die, then." Purple energy swarmed around her.

Sailor Moon glanced between the three people that stood around her. "_Issho ni yarou ka?" _she suggested warmly.

"Shall we do this together?" Tuxedo Mask translated quickly, seeing Sailor Elysion's confusion. He extended a hand towards her.

Sailor Elysion held out the Golden Crystal towards him. Of its own accord, it lifted off her hand and floated in between them. Meanwhile, Sailor Moon put her hands to her brooch, Chibimoon following suit. In a bright flash of gold and silver light, the Silver Crystals emerged from Sailor Moon and Chibimoon's brooches. When the light faded, the four of them had transformed. The three women wore long gowns; Elysion in spring green, Chibimoon in sugar pink, and Moon in pure white. In Tuxedo Kamen's place stood a stunningly familiar figure for Damia: Prince Endymion. She gasped, but there wasn't time to say anything.

The dark energy around Queen Nehelenia swelled and lashed out towards them.

"Moon Crisis Power!" Sailor Moon and Sailor Chibimoon cried, holding out their Silver Crystals.

"Terran Power!" Damia found herself yelling in unison with Prince Endymion.

Bright golden and silver light flashed out to meet Nehelenia's dark power. The two beams of energy, one dark and one bright, met in the middle with a violent explosion, but neither yielded. Damia could feel the dark energy pushing against the Golden Crystal that she and Endymion supported. She poured her whole self into it. By the small grunts of exertion, she could tell that all three of her companions were straining against the power as much as she was.

_Elysion, my precious realm, lend me your power to expel this evil!_ She begged silently.

"_Find Elysion within you. You are Elysion,"_ Helios's calm voice encouraged.

A single tear slid down her cheek. She closed her eyes and felt the ground beneath her feet. She heard the wind whispering in the tree tops. She smelled the air and tasted it. She felt, finally, firm. Power filled her limbs.

Damia's eyes snapped open. With a yell, she gave a hard push through the Golden Crystal. It's light sputtered and flashed, overtaking the evil queen's dark energy.

"_Yatteiru!_" Sailor Chibimoon yelled excitedly, "_Yatteiru yo!_"

It was too soon to celebrate. With an angry roar from Queen Nehelenia, dark lightning flashed and her power increased. "The nightmares of this world are mine!" she cried.

Again, they strained against her power as it threatened to overtake them.

Suddenly, Sailor Moon cried out, "_Minna! Anata no chikara wo kaishite!"_

All across the battlefield, points of glowing light, springing from the tiaras of their fallen friends, cut through the darkness. Near where Nehelenia had once stood; teal, yellow, and violet. Closer to them came beams of red, blue, orange, green, and indigo light. All of it converged on Sailor Moon.

"Moon Eternal Power!" she cried, and in a flash of light and feathers, Sailor Moon transformed again. Her new outfit sported a three tiered skirt, puffed pink sleeves, and white wings like an angel.

"Eternal Sailor Moon!" Prince Endymion exclaimed in surprise, almost forgetting about his hold on the Golden Crystal. Momentarily, Damia felt all of its weight momentarily surge on her.

Eternal Sailor Moon nodded gravely at them and yelled out, throwing all of her power into the fight. The silver light pushed back Nehelenia's power, but it wasn't quite enough. Endymion, Damia, and Chibimoon joined in her yells and threw all they had into the battle.

Gold and silver completely swallowed up the dark power and overtook Queen Nehelenia. She let out an ear-splitting scream and shattered into mirror shards.

Absolutely exhausted, Damia let up on the Golden Crystal. For a moment, it hung in the air between her and Prince Endymion, but suddenly it flashed and disappeared. She felt a new warmth come over her chest. Glancing at Endymion, she noticed that he too put his hand over his heart in surprise.

"We did it," she breathed.

Eternal Sailor Moon relaxed and lowered her Silver Crystal. Smiling she looked past Chibimoon and Endymion, directly at Damia. "_Sankyuu Seeraa Elysion,_" she said warmly, then echoed, "_Yatteita_."

Damia looked out over the battlefield. Although all that remained of Nehelenia was a pile of mirror shards, the victorious feeling that she had felt only moments before quickly fled. The ground was blackened and charred. Whole strips of the grass were torn up like large gashes and craters on the earth. Strewn across the ravaged ground lay the bodies of all the rest of their friends. Elysion, in its pain, seized her heart once again. Despite herself, she began to cry.

"_Genki nai mitai, Sailor Elysion,_" Sailor Chibimoon observed, stepping close to her.

"_Sou, sou,_" Sailor Moon replied with quick enthusiasm, looking over all the fallen bodies of their friends, "_Minna shinjatta mitai kara._" She held up her Silver Crystal again.

This was all lost on Damia. Clutching her chest, she moaned quietly, "Elysion is in pain." Suddenly, she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. Looking up through her tears, she saw Prince Endymion smiling warmly down on her.

"I know," he said in careful English, "I feel it too."

She forced a small smile back at him, glad that someone else understood.

Turning to Sailor Moon, he advised, "_Kono Elysion mo naoshite kurenai?_"

She nodded with a smile and replied, "_Mochiron!_"

A sudden memory struck Damia. "You and I were cousins, you know," she told Endymion, trying to ignore the pain in her heart.

"Cousins?" he asked, surprised.

"King Endymion was my uncle, so I guess..." she started to explain.

Their conversation was cut short by another blinding flash from the Silver Crystal as Sailor Moon yelled, "Moon Healing Escalation!"

A gentle white light enveloped the area for nearly half a minute. It obscured everything. Damia felt more of her strength return as its power rained down over her like a gentle mist. The pain in her heart gradually lessened to nothing. When the light faded, Elysion was restored to its former beauty and, all of the fallen sailors were stirring and standing up. Each wore a beautiful gown rather than their sailor uniforms.

Closest by, Althea stood up and grinned sheepishly at Damia, "So you did it then? We won in the end." She wore a stately dress of grays and deep blues.

"Althea!" Damia cried and rushed towards her. Wrapping her former rival in a tight hug, her heart felt like it might overflow. "I thought you were dead," she murmured.

"It takes more than one angry queen-wannabe to kill me," Althea laughed, pulling away.

All around them, the other sailors-turned-princesses rose and marveled at the peace and beauty around them. Slowly, Sailor Moon's court gathered around her, while the Terran soldiers gravitated towards where Althea and Damia stood.

"Helios!" Damia heard Chibimoon gasp. Turning, she saw the little girl hurrying across the grass to where he lay.

"Helios," Damia echoed fearfully. _What if he..._ "Althea, I..." she started.

Althea gave her a playful push, "Go on. I know what he means to you."

"How?" she stammered, then smiled, "Thanks." She rushed off after Chibimoon as fast as she could in heels and a dress, brushing past some of the other surprised girls. Thanks to her longer gait, Damia reached Helios nearly the same time as the younger girl.

Already kneeling at his side, Chibimoon held his hand tightly and repeated urgently, "_Helios, Helios! Me wo samashite!_"

Damia sunk down beside him on his other side and took his right hand in hers.

"Please be alright, Helios," she whispered, growing teary again, "I'm sorry for everything. I'm so sorry..."

Slowly, his amber eyes opened and focused on the young girl to his left. "Chibiusa," he whispered fondly and tried to raise his right hand towards her face but realized that someone was already holding it. He flicked his gaze over and realized that Damia was at his side as well. His eyes widened. "Damia, I..." he stammered weakly, "I thought..."

Chibiusa's eyes narrowed and studied Damia suspiciously.

Looking between both girls, he said with a sigh, "You're safe. I'm glad." Somehow, through his magic, both she and the Japanese girl seemed to understand at the same time.

"Here, let me help you sit up," Damia offered and released his hand. Gently, she put her hands behind his back and assisted him. She left one arm around his shoulders for support, sensing his continuing weakness. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm fine now," he replied, blushing a little and trying to hide it, "The Dead Moon Circus is gone then?"

"We defeated them together," Damia answered before Chibiusa could.

"You did well my lady, my maiden," he praised them, "Thank you for saving Elysion."

Chibiusa stood and tugged at his hand. "_Ikou yo. Minna wa anata ni aetai hazu da yo ne!"_ she urged.

"Alright," he agreed, smiling, "Let's go."

Damia felt a pang of envy as she helped him to stand. All the while, he smiled down at the little girl. He seemed to be avoiding her gaze.

"_Hayaku!_" Chibiusa urged again, pulling at his hand. Laughing lightly, he let her lead him towards the congregation at the other edge of the field.

Damia sighed. "Helios, I remember," she called quietly after him, not expecting him to hear, "I remember everything, and I'm sorry." She hung her head but stubbornly resisted the tears that threatened to flow. _It's my fault that he left anyway. I practically gave him away. Of course he would find someone new. But why did it have to be her? She's what, twelve? I guess he has his right to choose whoever he wants, but did he forget our past? Though, _she thought bitterly, _I guess I did..._

"Damia!" Nerine called through cupped hands, "Come on!" She waved her over.

Damia swallowed hard and tried to put a smile on her face. She hurried back over to them in time to hear Helios give his thanks, "I cannot thank you enough, Sailor Soldiers, for coming to the aid of my realm, Elysion. The dreams of Earth are safe again and the court of the Dead Moon is gone. I was not strong enough to protect my beloved home myself. Thank you."

As he stood healthily before the group, flesh and blood, Damia couldn't help but be enamored by him. Helios looked far more handsome than he ever had in her dreams. She wished silently that everyone else would disappear, leaving just the two of them alone.

Around him, a warm conversation in Japanese jumped between the various girls.

Meanwhile, Althea edged up to Damia and whispered expectantly, "So?"

Damia looked away and shook her head. "I don't know," she replied sullenly.

Again speaking out to the entire group, Helios offered, "I can take you back to your homes on Earth now."

Prince Endymion nodded firmly, "_Jikan desu._"

Looking over to where the cluster of Americans stood, he asked, "Will you go now?"

Damia was just beginning to feel comfortable in Elysion. She wanted to refuse, but knew they had been away from home a long time. Althea spoke up for the group before she could make up her mind, "No. We have some unfinished business here in the Hidden Realms."

"Very well," Helios nodded and turned back to the crowd from Japan, "Off we go then." With a wave of his arms, they all disappeared, leaving only impressions in the grass where they had stood.

"What's this unfinished business?" Charisse asked, turning to Althea.

"Well, first of all," she replied professionally, "I think we need to visit Nyx and pay our respects for Indira, then—"

"Indira came and saved us," Damia blurted.

"She what?" Tacita gasped.

"She's alive?" Nerine asked quickly.

"I don't think she's alive," Damia related, "But when I called for help, she heard me. Her ghost, I think, stole the Golden Crystal right out of Nehelenia's hand and gave it to me. She had this black panther at her side."

"Like when she died," Nerine said quietly.

"She never stops fighting, does she?" Althea commented, feeling a lump in her throat.

An awkward silence fell over them as they remembered Indira. Malia and Charisse found themselves at a loss of what to say.

Finally, Althea continued explaining her plans, "Then, I thought we could check out the rest of our realms. I mean, when are we next going to get a chance to visit our places of power?"

"And we can return this," Tacita suggested. Damia noticed just then that she cradled the Tome of the Secrets of the Realms in her arms.

"Where did you find that?" Malia asked suddenly.

"Well, it was inside me all along," she answered.

"I know that," Malia said shortly, "But then Nehelenia took it."

"She must have brought it with her," Tacita answered, "I found it by that pile of mirror shards."

"So, how do we get to Nyx, then?" Charisse asked.

With a smile, Tacita flipped open the silver book to one of the ribbon bookmarked pages. "This is how," she said, pointing to an incantation written on the lower part of the page. "Everyone, stay close," she instructed as she began to read aloud. It was an ancient language she didn't recognize, but it flowed easily off her tongue. They were whisked out of Elysion as soon as she finished. In the blink of an eye, they were someplace completely different.

Black stone below their feet and rumbling black thunderclouds overhead, the six girls now stood in Nyx. As the lightning flashed high above, they stood in wonder of the power of the place. It was almost palpable.

"I had hoped you would come, ladies," a deep baritone voice said welcomingly.

They all turned in surprise and saw a copper skinned man with dark hair and dark clothes approaching them. He walked with a tall golden staff in one hand that was reminiscent of Sailor Nyx's. Behind him seemed to be a temple of some kind, cut out of black stone.

"I am the High Priest of Nyx," he introduced himself, "Please, come into the temple where it is safe from the lightning."

"Thank you, Priest," Althea said, leading the way for the rest of the girls.

They followed in silence.

The priest led them down winding corridors to the heart of the temple. Finally, they entered a small room with a raised pedestal in the middle. Lying on that cold stone platform was Sailor Nyx, her staff beside her.

"Indira!" Nerine exclaimed, and rushed over to her. The others hurried after while the priest stood calmly by the doorway. As Nerine took Sailor Nyx's gloved hand, she almost dropped it. "She's so cold."

"She died, fighting as a Sailor Soldier," the priest explained, "Such a death is different than a human death. Her body, along with her fears, found its way here. That was enough for her to hear and answer your call, Lady of Elysion, with my help, but it is not enough to give her life."

"She really is gone then," Damia said softly, "I never got to say goodbye."

"What could make her whole are her dreams, her love, her questions and uncertainties, her knowledge, her anger, and her happiness," the priest explained. "Those things, I believe you six can be of assistance where I cannot."

"You mean if we..." Tacita stammered.

"It is written, just as I say, in that book you hold," he replied. "With your powers, you six can call her back."

Damia took a deep breath and placed her hand on Indira's unmoving chest. She closed her eyes and prayed, "Elysion, send me this girl's dreams."

All around her, the other five girls laid their hands on Indira and uttered prayers of their own. Suddenly, Damia felt the fluttering beat of Indira's heart beneath her hand. Pulling it away, she cried, "She's back! Indira is alive!"

Indira's eyes opened, and, all at once, her sailor costume transformed into a midnight blue gown. She sat up, groaning and smiled at the girls around her. "Thanks guys," she said.

"Indira!" Althea, Damia, Nerine, and Tacita cried over each other and wrapped her in a group hug. Charisse and Malia jumped in and hugged her warmly as well.

Finally, they pulled back and gave her space to stand up. Seeing the high priest in the corner, she bowed to him. "Thank you, Kamlesh," she said formally.

He nodded back at her. "But it was your friends that did all the work," he replied.

"We couldn't go back without you," Nerine said warmly.

Indira smiled, "I'm glad you didn't."

"Now, we have other realms to see," Althea reminded them. Turning to Tacita she asked, "Where to next?"

Flipping open the book again, she scanned down the page and flipped over to the next. "Well, the next incantation written here is for Phlegethon," she replied.

"Alright!" Malia said excitedly, "Let's go!"

They all grasped a hold of Tacita again as she began to chant. Moments later, they found themselves by the shores of the flaming river of Phlegethon.

They marveled at the raw power of Malia's realm, then jumped to Aether where they frolicked carefree in the streets made of clouds. The wandered the misty canyons of Erebus and picked flowers in the fields of Hemera. They beheld the vast Sea of Secrets and explored the Great Library of Cocytus. Meeting the old priest Freyr, they respectfully returned the ancient tome.

As they left the library, Charisse mused, "It's too bad we can't go on living like this. I feel so at home here. For once, I know in my heart that there is one place I belong."

"I know what you mean," Malia agreed, "With all the moving we've done."

"But we don't even know how long we've been gone for," Tacita pointed out, "Mom and dad must be so worried."

"All of our parents must be too," Indira added.

"Do you want to go back to Elysion, Damia?" Althea asked, "To, you know..."

She felt a pang in her heart. _To see Helios._ Taking a deep breath, she shook her head. "No, we have been away from our families long enough," she replied, trying to feel contentment with her decision.

"Wait," Nerine exclaimed suddenly, "We gave the book back. We don't have the list of incantations any more."

"But," Tacita said slowly, "I think I know it anyway."

"You know," Althea said slow, "I think I do too."

The others murmured in agreement.

"Something left over from our past lives, I guess," Indira speculated.

"Well, if we're all going home now, I guess this is goodbye," Tacita said slowly.

"Oh, you're right," Nerine said. It hadn't occurred to her before that, now that the seven of them were together, they would all have to go their separate ways.

"I'm glad to have met you guys," Tacita said with a small smile, "And I'll miss you."

"We didn't have much time to get to know you," Charisse said apologetically, "But I feel like we know each other well already."

"From a long, long time ago," Malia added. "Even if it did mean being caught in those mirror prisons, I'm glad we met in this lifetime too."

"You guys take care then," Damia urged.

"You too," Charisse returned.

"You already know my address, Tacita," Nerine said, "So be sure to write."

Giggling, she replied, "Of course I will."

"I'm sure we'll see each other again some day," Althea said optimistically.

They stood in silence, taking each other in and not wanting to part.

Finally, Tacita said, "Well, goodbye," and began to chant.

After a chorus of goodbyes, the others all joined in her chant. Though it was in an ancient tongue, they all spoke through the poetic lines as if they recited it every day. When it finished, Cocytus disappeared from view.

Indira, Damia, Althea, and Nerine found themselves facing Asatara Jr. High, in the last clothes they had worn before entering the Dead Moon Circus. Together they stood staring at it, as if the school was something out of a pleasant fantasy of the past. People trickled in and out. The school day was over, it seemed.

"What time is it?" Indira asked at last.

Looking down at her watch, Althea answered, "Almost 3:30."

"3:30?" Damia exclaimed, "That means we'll be late for track practice!"

"You're right!" Althea exclaimed, "Come on, let's go!"

Laughing, the two of them took off into the school and hurried for the locker rooms.

"Priorities," Indira laughed. Another student wandered out of the school. Seeing him, Indira called, "Excuse me, what day is it?"

"Tuesday," he replied.

"No, I mean, what's the date?" she corrected.

"Oh," he stopped, thinking for a moment, "December tenth, wait, no, eleventh."

"Thanks!" Indira called back.

"December eleventh!" Nerine gasped. "That means we've been gone for over two months!"

"Let's get home then," Indira urged, feeling a pang of guilt for her parents.

"Right," Nerine agreed eagerly.

"The regional tournament is this weekend, and we still haven't finalized our girls relay team."

"We really can't keep putting this off any longer."

"None of the teams we have tried lately work well together. Plus, we're down our two fastest runners."

Two sets of running feet pounded up the hallway towards them.

"Hey coaches!" Althea called.

"How about us? We could run the relay," Damia suggested brightly as she came to a stop next to Althea.

"Damia Devi and Althea Orenda!" their coach exclaimed, "Where have you been."

"That's," Althea answered thoughtfully, "a good question."

"We thought you were missing," the other coach said.

"I guess we were," Althea shrugged. "But we're back now and ready to run."

Their two coaches laughed in mild disbelief. "Well, we're glad to have you back," the first coach said warmly, "Now go say hi to the rest of the team. They've missed you too."

"Okay, coach," Damia said grinning. Althea threw an arm around her shoulders and the two of them walked out towards the fields together.

"I thought those two hated each other," one coach observed.

"Something certainly has changed," the other replied, "Now let's get out there and form that relay team."

Nerine felt a bit silly ringing her own doorbell. Heart pounding nervously, she waited as she heard footsteps approaching and her mother's voice calling, "Just a minute!" The key clicked in the lock and the door swung open. "Hi Mom," Nerine said sheepishly, "I'm home."

Her mother nearly screamed with joy, "Nerine!" She wrapped her in a tight hug and yelled, "Charles! Come down here! It's Nerine! She's back! She's alive!"

Both Nerine and her mother cried happy tears onto each others shoulder.

No one was home when Indira arrived, but the key was in its usual place under the pot of gardenias, so she let herself in the back door. The newspaper was still on the kitchen table from that morning. Carrying it into the living room with her, she poured over it. Lots had happened since that stormy day in the park.

She was so absorbed in her reading that she didn't hear her mother come in. When her mother saw Indira sitting comfortably on the couch and reading the newspaper, her jaw dropped and she let go of her coffee mug. It hit the floor and shattered, but she had already forgotten about it.

At the noise, Indira looked up. "Mom!" she exclaimed, and vaulted over the back of the sofa, right into her arms. "I'm sorry to have worried you," she whispered.

Both of the Treys where home when they heard the garage door open of its own accord. Moments later, the door to the garage swung open and three girls poured inside.

"Oh my god!" their mother breathed, "It's you!"

"My girls!" their father exclaimed and hurried over to them.

"We were so worried!" their mother cried tears of joy and joined them at the door. In their amazement, both she and her husband forgot to sign.

"We're so sorry," Tacita said with tears in her eyes.

"We're just glad to have you back," her father reassured her, wrapping them all in a hug. "Where were you all this time?"

"Well..." Tacita started.

Her mother suddenly exclaimed, "Tacita! It's a miracle! You're talking! You're hearing!"

"Oh my god," their father cried as well, "Is it true?"

All three girls nodded, smiling.

The first day back at school, Tacita's home room class threw an impromptu welcome back party for her. Ashley was thrilled to see her again, and even more thrilled to hear her talking. Mrs. Lindell was as baffled by Tacita's transformation as anyone and canceled her request for an aide.

At lunch, Michel took little time in finding her. "I heard you were back," he said eagerly. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just fine," she answered, blushing.

"And you can hear! How did that happen?" he exclaimed.

Tacita shrugged her shoulders and admitted bashfully, "I really don't know."

"Well, I'm glad. Anyway, I got tickets for us to go to the last show of that circus together," Michel admitted, "But you weren't here and then it got canceled anyway."

"Thanks for thinking of me, Michel," Tacita replied. All the while, Ashley watched on excitedly, hardly eating her lasagna.

"I did hear that Cirque du Soleil is coming to Anchorage in February," Michel said quickly, "Do you want to go?"

"I'd love to," Tacita answered with a smile.

It was all over the news. The tragic and mysterious disappearances of several girls from months before now had a happy ending.

"...are not yet sure if the disappearances of the four girls from Chicago and the three girls from Anchorage are related, but they all reappeared Tuesday afternoon at their homes. All seven claim to have no memory of their time away and were stunned to know that two months had passed. It is unclear whether this was a kidnapping or a case of runaways. Police are currently investigating the matter further.

"None of the girls returned injured, and one, previously deaf, claims now to be able to hear. This miraculous change warrants some medical investigation that may pave the way for..."

Asatara's girls relay team won first place in the regional competition. Along with two more of their teammates, Althea and Damia proceeded onto the Illinois state meet. Although they didn't win there, fourth place was enough to have them hugging and jumping together at the finish line. Their sudden friendship in place of rivalry baffled but relieved the rest of the team. Together, they looked forward to another season next fall.

Likewise, that Indira, Nerine, Althea, and Damia kept sitting together at lunch at least a few times a week baffled each of their friends. The four girls shared something that no one else could understand.

Although they knew the Dead Moon Circus was dead and gone, all of the girls continued to carry their transformation spheres with them where ever they went. In dull classes, Damia frequently found herself rolling the sphere around in her pocket and daydreaming of Elysion and of Helios.

Christmas passed along with New Years. A new semester started. Their fight against the Dead Moon seemed more and more like a dream. They had only their transformation spheres and their friendship to remind them that what had happened was true.

Tacita kept good on her promise and wrote letters to Nerine. Soon, all seven girls had exchanged addresses and were avid pen pals.

Every night before bed, the magic of their past seemed much closer to Damia. Nightly, she stared at the place that Helios's chalice had once stood before turning off the lights.

One night in late March, Damia tossed and turned. She couldn't sleep. With every roll, she found herself staring wide-eyed at her night stand. Sighing, she sat up in bed. Her own reflection on the long mirror mounted behind her door stared back at her.

Drawn by an idea, she slipped out of bed and padded over to the mirror. Laying her hand on its smooth surface, she murmured, "Elysion... I want to go back." She didn't need Tacita's book. Like the incantation to return to Earth, this was one she already knew, somehow. Damia began to chant softly so no one would hear her. The mirror became a window onto a moonlit grove in the crystal wood. Damia took one last breath then stepped through.

Owari.


End file.
